The Z Gamer
by Zero Rewind
Summary: I played video games so much that my own life became a game! Why did I receive this power? And why do I have a quest whose failure penalty is the destruction of the universe? A slow boil adventure, don't read if expecting OP Gary Stu. I've posted this on RoyalRoad as well!
1. Prologue

**oooo  
****The Z Gamer  
****oooo**

**South City, Age 749, Sunday March 9**

"Ten, go get some tomatoes and onions!"

I sighed, staring at the translucent blue window in front of me.

**Quest Alert**

**Buy groceries for mom, so she can cook you a badass dinner!**

**Time Limit: 1 hour**

**Reward: 200 XP, 50 Rep with Mom**

**Failure: -50 Rep with Mom, Incessant Nagging**

**Accept / Deny**

Moving my hand, I pressed my index on "accept", before getting off the couch, grabbing my backpack and going outside, saying bye to my mom as I went out.

Around forty minutes later, I was almost home, carrying a bag of the groceries I bought. Of course, the weird power I've acquired termed it as a quest item.

**[Quest Item: Bag of Tomatoes and Onions]**

I shook my head in equal parts bemusement and bewilderment. I've had this power for a bit over a day now, and it was already starting to grate on my nerves.

Of course, I haven't said a word about it to anyone— who would believe me if I did?

I sighed again as I saw my home in the distance. It wasn't anything special— just another house in a sea of houses in the suburbs of South City.

Fiddling with my key at the entrance, I went back inside, took my shoes off and headed into the kitchen, my mom swiping the bag and going straight to work.

**Quest Complete!**

**200 XP! 50 Rep with Mom!**

"Dinner will be ready in a bit!" She flashed me a smile and began to cut the onions.

I stared at her for a few moments as she worked— rather, at what was above her head:

**Loving Mom**

**Jean - Lv 7**

**Rep: 800/20000 Exalted**

"Thanks mom." I answered half-heartedly before sitting down on the couch again, trying not to think of anything.

My mind decided to, of course, think of exactly what I didn't want to think about.

My gamer powers.

I had been so obsessed with games that my life had actually become a video-game. At first, I'd thought it was a dream, but pinching myself seemed to dissuade me of that notion, as it still hurt.

It was surreal, even then. A whole day had passed, and yet I still kept getting these notices. I still saw the name over my head when I stared in the mirror.

I went to the bathroom and stood before the mirror once more.

**The Gamer**

**Ten - Lv 1**

I lost track of time, staring at the floating letters and numbers over my head, until I was interrupted by a shout from my mom.

"Dinner's ready!"

I sighed again before heading to the kitchen, sitting by my mom. She was fairly young, with shoulder length black hair and black— looking almost nothing like me, what with my blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I noticed you've been down lately, sweetie." She smiled at me as she gestured at the food. "Spaghetti and meatballs, your favorite!"

I smiled, despite myself, feeling cheered and relieved that, even if the world was turned on its head, my mother would always be the same.

"You're the best, mom." I grinned and dove into the meal with gusto, mind completely forgetting about everything that had happened until this point.

A few minutes later, I was already full.

I took the plate to the sink, rinsing it with water before going and grabbing my mom's empty plate before she even asked. Maybe everything wasn't so bad after all—

**Ping!**

**A skill has been created through a continuous movement!**

**Dishwashing (Lv 1 - 0%): The act of cleaning your dishes. You can get the job done, but are actually pretty slow at it.**

My eye twitched as I swiped the windows away and went back to my task. Once done, I thanked my mom once more before heading to my room, locking the door behind me.

I took a deep breath as I sat on the bed.

"My life is a video game, with quests, reputation, experience and levels." I muttered to myself. "In essence, an RPG."

That only meant one thing.

"Status." I said, and a window appeared before me.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 1 (800/2000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 103/103**

**MP: 124/124**

**Ki: 103/103**

**STR: 2**

**VIT: 3**

**AGI: 2**

**INT: 8**

**WIS: 6**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 2.3**

**oooo**

Wow, I was really weak.

"What the hell is Ki? Or Battle Power?" I shook my head in confusion. "I know what the rest are— MP for magic points, so magic's real? And whatever this Ki thing is?"

Was this sheet for real?

There was a small question mark at the bottom of the window, so I pressed it. Another panel popped up.

**oooo**

**Rundown of each stat**

**STR: Your physical strength. The higher the number, the stronger your muscles are. Related to HP and Ki.**

**VIT: Your vitality. In other words, your endurance or stamina. The higher the number, the longer you can run, fight. Related to HP and Ki.**

**AGI: Your agility. This stat will determine how fast you move, how balanced you are, and how fast your reaction speeds are.**

**INT: Your intelligence, this shows how smart you are, and how much magic power you have.**

**WIS: Your wisdom; all the smarts in the world don't matter if you don't know where, and how to apply them. Related to magic defense and MP regen/sec.**

**HP: Your Health Points. If this reaches 0, you're dead. How HP is calculated: (100 x Level)+(STR x VIT/2).  
**

**MP: Your Magic Points. If this reaches 0, you can no longer use spells for a while, while also suffering from a [Magic Exhaustion] debuff. How MP is calculated: (INT x WIS/2)+(Level x 100).  
**

**Ki: Your Ki, otherwise known as life force, chakra. Martial artists have harnessed this energy since time immemorial, using it to great extent. If your Ki reaches 0, you suffer through [Ki Exhaustion]. Ki is calculated at the same rate as HP.**

**Points: The points you add to each stat. You receive extra points to spend with every level-up.**

**Battle Power: an aggregate of all your stats combined into a single numerical form.  
**

**oooo**

I lay back in bed as I pondered this new information. So, magic was real, super powered fighters were real— I supposed they had to be. How else would people from the World Tournaments do what they did? I'd always thought they'd done it with wires, mirrors and special effects.

I blinked as an idea began to form.

Wait, the World Tournament. That's in a bit over a year, isn't it?

Maybe I could attend it, perhaps catch the eye of any martial artists who can teach me something.

I nodded to myself, and smiled. That's exactly what I would do.

**oooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Ok fine, guys; I'll write a few more chapters for this. .**

**Chapter 1  
**

**Age 749, Monday, March 10**

I learned something interesting. Spending a day in school increased my INT by 1.

"Status." I said, sitting in the backyard that afternoon.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 1 (800/2000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 103/103**

**MP: 127/127**

**Ki: 103/103**

**STR: 2**

**VIT: 3**

**AGI: 2**

**INT: 9**

**WIS: 6**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 2.3**

**oooo**

I nodded.

The status increase had also raised my MP, as well. The number looked big but, having no actual information on the matter, there was no way to tell. Maybe a spell cost 500— I simply had no idea.

I did, however, realize that I could likely raise any of my stats through exercises. Strength training would likely raise my STR.

For my VIT stat, I figured I just needed to run a whole lot. I wasn't too sure about my agility and wisdom, though. I pulled up the stat description on each, and read through them carefully.

**AGI: Your agility. This stat will determine how fast you move, how balanced you are, and how fast your reaction speeds are.**

**WIS: Your wisdom; all the smarts in the world don't matter if you don't know where, and how to apply them. Related to magic defense and MP regen/sec.**

I read through the descriptions carefully.

"Okay, so AGI is all about movement speed, balance and reaction speed." I mused, scratching at my cheek. "How would I raise my reaction speed, though? Maybe take up a sport? Baseball would need a decent reaction speed to hit the ball with a bat— bah, who am I kidding, I doubt I'd get on the team, none of the other kids even notice me."

Strange, I always used to be sad about not being acknowledged by others, but I barely felt it odd.

Still, that idea was a bit of a jumping point. I shrugged off the odd feeling and went back to thinking.

"Something to increase my reaction speed." I repeated. "Maybe an obstacle course— yeah, that would do it. Running over tires, climbing stuff, using the environment to move better."

**Ping!**

**For figuring out how to increase your AGI stat, you receive 1 WIS.**

I stared at the window.

"I guess that solves how to get higher AGI and WIS, I suppose." I dismissed the window with a shake of my head. Looking at the status screen, I saw my MP had jumped to 132.

I took a deep breath.

"Focus." I said to myself. "I figured out how to raise stats. This is an RPG, so I'll likely have an inventory and list of my skills."

Two windows opened as I said "inventory" and "skills".

"Maybe a window for options so that it doesn't activate any time I say any of these words in day-to-day life?" My eye twitched as the options window also opened.

I focused on the Options window first— best get that out of the way, so I wouldn't deal with any distractions:

**Interface**

**Notifications**

"A small list," I noted. Then again, the typical list of options in an RPG would have been Video/Audio/Controls related. Since this is real life, it made sense that you couldn't change any of that.

I pressed my finger over "Interface", which opened up a new window:

**Current Mode: Voice Commands**

**Other Modes: Thought Commands**

I pressed the only other mode, before dismissing the window and checking out the Notifications section.

**Notifications currently appear directly in front of you as soon as any event occurs.**

**Other Modes: Thought Notifications, Suppress All Notifications, Redirect Notifications To The Notifications Window.**

**Opacity: 100%**

**Size: 100%**

**Position: Center**

Hm. I didn't need my notifications to be thought triggered as I was very comfortable with MMORPGs and juggling the many menus that appeared. I did, however, change the Opacity to 50%, turning the windows translucent, but not so much that I could no longer read the menus.

I also changed the position to the bottom right, as I was used to notifications popping up there.

If I needed to edit the options once more, then I would do so. For now, this would suffice, I thought as I dismissed the options window, before focusing back on my two remaining windows.

Inventory and Skills. I looked over the inventory first. It looked like your typical MMORPG inventory. Rows of empty boxes, a Zeni counter, and an equipment section above it all, with an accurate full body representation of myself.

I picked up a pebble at my feet and tried to push it in. There was some resistance, so I pushed a little harder. I watched as the pebble disappeared from my finger, reappearing in the inventory slot I was trying to push it into. I pressed my index over it, seeing a new window open.

**Pebble**

**Class: Item**

**Rarity: Common**

So there were item classes and rarities as well.

My mind drooled at the possibilities that an inventory could provide me. I would have to test it out, later.

I pulled the pebble out of the inventory, before throwing it carelessly to the side, dismissing the inventory window as I did so. I focused on the Skills window.

**oooo**

**Gamer's Body (Lv Max/Passive): ****Grants a body that allows for the user to live in the real world like a game. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, MP and all status effects. **

**Gamer's Mind (Lv Max/Passive): ****Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological effects.**

**Dishwashing (Lv 3 - 80%/Passive): The act of cleaning your dishes. You can get the job done, but are actually pretty slow at it. 4% Increase in dishwashing speed.**

**Observe (Lv 1 - 0%/Active): ****Through continuous observation, a skill to observe objects, situations, and persons was generated allowing the user to quickly gather information. The higher the skill, the greater the data obtained.**

**oooo**

I stared.

"I can sleep _anything _off." I said in total astonishment, before rereading the first passage. "Live in the real world like a game? What does that even mean?"

I pondered that strange statement, before getting an idea. I went back inside, grabbed a knife and made my way back out, away from my mother's notice.

Holding the knife against the palm of my hand, I hesitated. Maybe this wasn't the best of ideas... No, I had to know for sure.

I gulped and ran the knife over my palm, wincing at the jolt of pain, though the pain did not last long.

A window appeared as I cut my hand.

**-5 HP!**

I waved the window away and stared at the glowing red wound. There was no blood— just red particles flying outside of it. I stared at it for a minute, before it suddenly lost a sixth of its size.

"Was that.. my HP Regen?" I thought and called up my Status window with a thought.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 1 (800/2000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 99/103**

**MP: 132/132**

**Ki: 103/103**

**STR: 2**

**VIT: 3**

**AGI: 2**

**INT: 9**

**WIS: 7**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 2.3  
**

**oooo**

Frowning, I pressed my finger over the HP stat. A very small window opened up at the side of the HP stat.

**HPR: 0.5% of max HP per minute. Current HPR: 0.515 HP/min**

I frowned again, running the math through my head. A loss of 5 HP would take around 10 minutes to heal. How odd, I thought. Still, that confirmed my previous thoughts on Gamer's Body. My body was no longer able to bleed. Was I even human anymore? Why was I not freaking out about all of this?

My eyes settled on Gamer's Mind, and I had my answer.

"Allows peaceful state of mind." I reread the entry. That answered that. I felt like part of me should be appalled at the situation, but every time those emotions tried to rise, I felt them dissipate into nothing— likely this passive skill at work. I supposed it wasn't all that important; hell, it could be an advantage, all things considered.

I was less likely to panic in situations, now. It's not like it was a massive change from my usual state of mind, was it?

Nodding to myself, I studied the skill list window again, skipping over the stupid Dishwashing skill and reading the Observe skill. That looked quite useful as well. I stared down at the knife and thought "Observe."

**Kitchen Knife**

**Class: Tool/Weapon**

**Rarity: Common**

**Description: Your everyday kitchen knife, mainly used to cut foods such as meat or vegetables.**

I stared at the description for a few seconds before dismissing it and messing around with the knife, slashing and jabbing the air with it. I didn't expect to see a new window open up with a loud ping— which made me fall on my ass.

**Ping!**

**A skill has been created through a continuous movement!**

**Knife Mastery (Lv 1 - 0%/Passive) : ****Allows the user to freely handle knives. 5% Increase in attack damage with knives.**

Another two windows had also opened up. The first one said:

**-10 HP!**

The other said:

**Through being subjected to damage multiple times, you've gained a new skill!**

**Physical Endurance (Lv 1 - 0%/Passive) : ****The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 3% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

"This game, I swear..." I sighed and got back up, dusting myself off. At least, making them translucent had greatly helped.

I stopped for a moment, really considering all that had recently happened. Why did I get this skill?

What was the point, in this modern world? Was it simply coincidence that I received such power? Or was there something else going on?

**Quest Alert**

**Find out why you received the power of The Gamer!**

**Reward: 5,000,000 XP**

**Failure penalty: Death. Possible destruction of the universe.**

**Accept / Deny**

I stared at the window, feeling an initial wave of shock which my Gamer's Mind suppressed quickly.

"Possible destruction of the universe?" I re-read the quest. "How can I press Deny? Doing so would mean my death, and everyone else's."

I pressed the Accept button before running my hand through my hair.

"Whoever gave me this power, likely wants me to become a powerful fighter." I mused. "Powerful enough to stop the destruction of the universe."

**Ping!**

**For coming to a logical conclusion, you receive +1 WIS!**

I dismissed the notification, my mind still on the quest I'd taken. This was serious, I had to deal with this situation as if I was playing a game on hardcore mode- a game mode where, if you die, you lose your character altogether.

On that same vein, if my HP reached 0, I would die.

I had to focus on becoming strong and smart. To increase my WIS and INT, all I had to do- for now anyway- was go to school, solve puzzles and the like. For my STR, VIT and AGI, on the other hand...

"Well, mom has a few old weights from when she used to do fitness stuff..." I smiled, going back inside to grab the aforementioned items, setting them on the patio. I also made sure to wear different clothes, more suited to working out. I'd observed the items in question, but the only one of use had been my sneakers.

**Basic Sneakers**

**Class: Feet**

**Rarity; Common**

**Description: A basic pair of sneakers, you bought these two months ago and have only used them in your P.E. class. 5% Increase to running speed.**

Interesting effect, I thought as I read the description and stood in the yard.

"All right." I punched my open palm lightly. "Time to start!"

There was a flash from a nearby window. I turned to see my mom holding a camera, grinning.

"Mom, what the hell?" I asked in bewilderment.

"Language!" She scolded, never losing her smile. "I'm just so happy my boy wants to work out, now! Don't strain yourself too hard, it can really hamper your growth."

I sighed at my mother's giddiness and nodded as she went back inside. "I won't. Thanks, mom."

Though, I doubted my body's growth _could_ be hampered. Gamer's Body sort of negated that entirely.

Without fanfare, I began to run. At first, I kept a slow and sedate pace, the sort of pace I'd use during physical education, as I always got tired very quickly. I made one lap, two, three, four, five, six, seven...

I'd have been totally dead by the fifth or sixth lap, before; now, I just kept going, not even feeling any strain on my body. I wasn't even breathing hard, or sweating for that matter.

By the time the fifteenth lap rolled around, I was still running at the same pace I'd started with. Frowning, I increased the pace to an almost sprint. Another four laps went by and I was still feeling no strain whatsoever. By the twentieth lap, I got a new notification.

**Ping!**

**For running without stopping, you receive +1 VIT!**

I smiled at the stat notification, my mind distracted by the progress. I picked up the pace, going in a full on sprint, determined to get the most out of this.

Twenty five laps later, I got another +1 increase in VIT, as well as the following notification:

**Ping!**

**Two skills have been created through a continuous movement!**

**Running (Lv 1 - 0% / Passive): Your race has evolved to run on two legs, and it does it very well! 5% increase to movement speed.**

**Sprint (Lv 1- 0% / Active): Not fast enough? Activate this skill and gain a 30% increase in movement speed for 1 min. Cost: 20 Ki. Cooldown: 20 min.**

I stared in surprise at the skills, before invoking Sprint, watching as I gained a considerable increase in speed. I smiled and just kept running for the next twenty minutes, watching as my VIT went up by another 4.

Suddenly, my arms and legs seized up and I fell to the ground face-first, several notifications entering my notice.

**oooo**

**-15 HP!**

**oooo**

**Your Physical Endurance skill has levelled up!**

**Physical Endurance (Lv 2 - 75%/Passive) : ****The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 4% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

**oooo**

**You are now under the [Exhausted] debuff. Time remaining: 30 min.**

**[Exhausted]: Unable to do anything more strenuous than walking.**

**oooo**

"So, my body itself doesn't get tired, but I have a limit of about... an hour of exercise until I have to rest for 30 minutes?" I mused, thinking about it. "Annoying- but then again, before this even started, I wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes at the pace I was keeping."

And, for about an hour's work, my VIT had gone from 3 to 9. I stood back up, my body going through the ingrained motions of stretching my muscles after a run. I didn't really feel an effect, though. Gamer's Body had likely removed any need for that sort of thing. I bent at the waist, my hands easily reaching my feet.

I could have never done that, before. I moved to sit at the patio, dusting off my dirty shirt and just staring at the sky, hoping to wait until my buff finally disappeared. Partway through, I got an idea- I would do my homework or try to raise my WIS while being unable to move.

Or, maybe I could learn how to meditate. It always seemed to greatly increase a character's regeneration in the RPGs I've played.

**Ping!**

**For creatively thinking of two solutions to the problem at hand, you receive +2 to WIS!**

I snorted at the notification, and assumed what I thought was a meditative pose. It likely wouldn't be too hard to learn meditation, as Gamer's Mind seemed to always keep me in a calm state of mind. All I had to do was focus on my breathing.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Achieve a state of nothing. How do I do that? All the games had it as an already existing passive-

Focus.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Focus on myself. My energies, I can see them.

I heard a ping, likely the game signifying my acquiring of a new skill, but I barely paid attention to it. I knew what it probably was about, but I could check it out later. For now, I was studying how my energies were working.

There were two pools of energy, one bigger than the other. I assumed the big one was my MP while the smaller one was my Ki.

I tried a trick I'd seen in an old game I'd played, focusing on my Ki pool as I breathed in and out.

Breathe in, compress the ki within me.

Breathe out, expand the ki within me.

Breathe in, compress the ki within me.

Breathe out, expand the ki within me.

**Ping!**

Breathe in, compress the ki within me.

Breathe out, expand the ki within me.

I heard the ping but ignored it, continuing to focus on my breathing and my Ki. I don't know how long I kept at it, but I also began to do the same for my magic pool, hearing another ping when I did that, as well as several others after that. Eventually, I came back to myself, seeing a large list of notifications to my bottom right.

I checked my watch, noting that I'd been meditating for over an hour, well beyond what I had intended to do.

I began to read through my notifications:

**oooo**

**Through constant inaction and suppression of outermost thoughts, you have acquired a new skill!**

**Meditation (Lv 1 - 0% / Active, Passive) : Many wizards have learned how to meditate, as a strong mind makes for more powerful spells. It purifies magic and allows the user to freely use their power. Actively increases MP regeneration by 100%. Passively increases INT and WIS by 10%.**

**oooo**

**Through the use of breathing exercises and focus on your Ki, your Meditation skill has evolved!**

**Meditation (Lv 1 - 55% / Active, Passive): Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases MP regeneration by 100%. Actively increases Ki regeneration by 10%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 10%.**

**oooo**

**Meditation has levelled up!**

**oooo**

**Meditation has levelled up!**

**oooo**

**Meditation has levelled up!**

**oooo**

**Meditation has levelled up!**

**oooo**

**Meditation has levelled up!**

**oooo**

**Meditation (Lv 6 - 22% / Active, Passive): ******Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases MP regeneration by 125%. Actively increases Ki regeneration by 15%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 15%.  
****

****oooo****

Holy. Shit.

A straight percentage increase. It would be small at the beginning, but ridiculous at the later stages.

**For making a correct deduction, you receive +1 to WIS!**

I dismissed all of the notifications, before checking my status once again.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 1 (800/2000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 112**

**MP: 165**

**Ki: 112**

**STR: 2 (2.3)**

**VIT: 9 (10.35)**

**AGI: 2 (2.3)**

**INT: 9 (10.35)**

**WIS: 11 (12.65)**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 4.9  
**

**oooo**

I stared. I'd barely done any training, and my HP, MP and Ki had already seen gains— not to mention my battle power. I remembered the mathematical formulas I'd read the day before, realizing that my HP, Ki and MP were calculated through my enhanced stats, not the base ones.

**Ping!**

**For logically thinking things through and getting your mathematics correct, you receive +1 to INT and +1 to WIS!**

With a smile, I began to work with the weights, find the hardest thing I could lift and just mindlessly lifting that for as many times as I could, ignoring the pings as I kept going with my training. Twenty minutes later, I felt as if I wasn't really exerting myself anymore.

Naturally, I grabbed something heavier and went to work on that. I kept this up until my hour was done, and I was afflicted with the [Exhaustion] debuff, before sitting down and initiating my [Meditate] skill, focusing on my breathing for the next hour, continuing to ignore the pings.

When that hour was over, I stood back up and read through the notifications. I'd gained 8 STR from the weights, and my Meditation skill had gone up by another four levels. I noted that I got one less level for the same time of training I'd put in before.

It made sense, though. Grinding a skill had major increases at the beginning, but it would slowly taper off and it would be more and more difficult to gain any further increases.

I nodded to myself, and read through my [Meditate] skill once more.

**Meditation (Lv 10 - 15% / Active, Passive): ******Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases MP regeneration by 145%. Actively increases Ki regeneration by 19%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 19%.****

I pulled up my status menu again, expecting my HP and Ki to have skyrocketed thanks to my STR training, as STR was the main stat of both stats.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 1 (800/2000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 164**

**MP: 185**

**Ki: 164**

**STR: 10 (11.9)**

**VIT: 9 (10.71)**

**AGI: 2 (2.38)**

**INT: 10 (11.9)**

**WIS: 12 (14.28)**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 8.3  
**

**oooo**

I looked at my increased stats with a satisfied smile. My battle power had gone up to 8.3 in a few hours' worth of working out. Now, all I had to do was devise a viable set up to increase my AGI.

I moved to begin setting up a small obstacle course- at least, I tried to.

"Ten, get me some spaghetti noodles from the shop!" Mom's voice came from the house.

**Quest Alert**

**Buy groceries for mom, so she can cook you a badass dinner!**

**Time Limit: 1 hour**

**Reward: 200 XP, 50 Rep with Mom**

**Failure: -50 Rep with Mom, Incessant Nagging**

**Accept / Deny**

I sighed.

"Yes, mom!"

I'd work on my AGI later.


	3. Chapter 2

A lot of you have enjoyed this story— thanks for all the reviews. I'm having quite a bit of fun with it, as well. Actually balancing the mathematics around to calculate Battle Power among other things is pretty tough.

I've taken to using an excel sheet to make things much easier on myself. Every time I get a stat increase, I just change the stat value in excel and the rest of stats depending on that particular one will change accordingly.

Also, to one of my reviewers, Age 749 is the year the original Dragonball begins. Goku meets Bulma on Age 749, September 1. My story currently is a few months before that.

Anyway, on with the chapter!

**Chapter 2**

**Age 749, Friday, April 11**

**Ping!**

**Due to pushing your body to its absolute limits, your VIT and AGI have increased by 1!**

I smiled and dismissed the window, continuing with my training routine

It had been a bit over a month since I'd started my grinding fest. I had a basic schedule in place. One day, I would alternate between running and meditation; the next day, I would alternate between my strength training and meditation.

This allowed me to focus on one activity at a time.

During the daytime, I would attend school, and gain a single point of INT for attending the classes that day. I would further gain INT points, as well as some WIS for when I would do homework.

Though, I realized that the more points I gained, the more days it took to get extra gains.

Literature class also turned out to be a hidden boon, as I learned that a book ended up giving me a point in INT.

So, I spent the nights going through all of the books I currently owned.

I took a deep breath, settling down in my backyard. Raising my VIT and AGI simultaneously was a good way to train. It saved up on time, and helped me maximize my stats that much quicker.

It'd taken three whole weeks for me to figure the method out, my AGI having stayed at a measly 2 the whole time.

At least, until I figured out that I could run around the neighborhood, jumping off rocks, using things as springboards, balance myself on ledges— that sort of thing.

I called up my Status window and read through its contents:

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 4 (1,800/5,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 772**

**MP: 771  
**

**Ki: 772  
**

**STR: 17 (23.97)**

**VIT: 22 (31.02)**

**AGI: 10 (14.1)**

**INT: 25 (31.25)**

**WIS: 19 (23.75)**

**Points: 15**

**Battle Power: 23  
**

**oooo**

My AGI gains weren't all that impressive, but the rest of my stats have seen incredible leaps. I'd also learned that the high HP/MP/Ki numbers didn't really amount to much. While the Sprint skill only used a small amount of Ki at first— I'd leveled it enough that it increased my movement speed by 40% instead of 30%, but it now required 500 Ki to use.

I'd also developed more skills over the course of the month, as well.

Skills such as the following:

**Ki Ball (Lv 10 - 74%/Active): Since time immemorial, living creatures have learned to harness their life energy and bring it to the surface. The Ki Ball is the most basic of techniques. It has a base cost of 500 Ki, and deals 500 damage. Further damage will require more Ki, at the same ratio of cost. Note that the Ki Ball will become larger and slower the more Ki you inject into it.**

**Mana Shield (Lv 15- 35%/Active): A wizard's bread and butter. A shield made out of a wizard's mana, covers the outline of his body. This skill costs 50 MP/min to remain active; however, all damage taken will drain the MP bar, instead of HP.**

Another skill I'd ended up leveling was my Observe skill. I'd gotten it to about level 19, due to constantly observing things left and right. The skill now showed me other people's stats, as well as descriptions on them.

I also learned various miscellaneous skills which didn't contribute to fighting in any way— such as Cooking, Cleaning, etc.

It was a very odd existence, I thought as I relaxed on the patio, having finished the week of classes. School had become laughably easy, due to my increased stats. Hell, even phys ed was a joke, at this point.

I'd tried to hide my abilities, at first. But, after dealing with the coach's comments about my lack of stamina for the umpteenth time, I said fuck it and ran at full speed for 5 minutes in the next class, easily outstripping any of my peers— who were understandably equally confused and amazed.

The look on the coach's face had been worth it, though.

His behavior afterwards, however, was something I was neither expecting nor welcoming. He'd wanted to draft me into various teams and whatnot. I'll be honest, that shit's kind of boring to me. Throwing a ball in a hoop? Kicking a ball into a rectangle?

That sort of thing tends to lose its luster after you receive a quest to save the universe.

I sighed, checking my watch— 6:25 PM. Normally, I'd be at the local dojo, pestering the owner Kai or the students for spars, but the older man had said he didn't really have anything more he could teach me.

I pulled up my skill window, and stared at the skill I'd acquired from learning under him.

**Martial Arts (Lv 15 - 0% / Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 16%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style**

The Tiger style was the owner's personal style, focused on quick, decisive strikes. It was all about speed and power. Grappling moves were few and far between, though I did learn how to effectively hold someone down. There was no point to knocking someone down if you couldn't keep them that way.

At any rate, the skill had been stuck at level 15 for the past week, not increasing at all. That was about the same time that Kai had told me that he'd ran out of things to teach me, before suggesting I seek out a master called Roshi.

I'd heard of the man; he was a legendary martial artist, a World Martial Arts Champion. The man who'd invented a technique called the Kamehameha— some sort of explosion of power that he'd developed.

My attempts to replicate it had me create the Ki Ball, instead.

I heard the front door open, and sighed. I knew where the old master lived— or, at the very least, I had a good approximation of where he was. An island to the southeast of Fry Pan Mountain, the legendary mountain that was always on fire.

See, I really wanted to go there, but...

How would I break this to my mother?

Sorry, mom; I can't go to school anymore. I have to go on an adventure by myself to find some super old hermit living alone in the middle of nowhere. Bye!

I snorted at the thought.

"Ten!" I heard her call out. "Could you come in here for a second?"

Frowning, I made my way back indoors. I found my mother in the living room, sitting on the couch, drinking tea with my martial arts teacher, Kai.

Giving them a look of surprise, I gave a formal bow to my teacher. "Teacher, I wasn't aware you'd be here today."

Kai smiled, waving my words off.

"I'm not your teacher anymore, kid." He said good-naturedly. "In fact, that's why I'm here today."

My mom frowned slightly. "Not his teacher? Has Ten done something wrong?"

"Oh, no!" Kai laughed. "Nothing of the sort. I meant that I no longer had anything left to teach the boy."

"Oh?" Her frown deepened. "I rather thought that martial arts were something that took an age to learn."

"True, for the most part." Kai nodded in agreement. "However, some, like Kai here, are gifted with the ability to learn things quickly. I must say, it has been a delight to teach you."

"Thank you, Teach... I mean, Kai." I corrected myself, taking a seat on the third couch.

"That still doesn't answer why you've come to our home, Mr Kai." My mother gave the man a smile. "Not that I mind the company, of course."

She then muttered something under her breath, blushing slightly. It all seemed to go over my former teacher's head. Wow, my mom liked this dude, and he didn't even notice?

**Quest Alert**

**Help mom seduce your former martial arts teacher!**

**Reward: 5,000 XP, 200 Rep with Mom**

**Failure Penalty: Your mom grounds you for life.**

**Accept / Deny**

I couldn't press Deny fast enough.

No way in hell.

I was _not_ playing matchmaker.

Especially not for my own mother!

"Ah, well, I was hoping to talk to you about that." Kai said, not having noticed the woman's blush at all. "I wish to send him to the Muten Roshi. I have never anyone with such raw skill. I've taught him all I could, but the only person that can bring out his full potential is the legendary Master himself."

My heart leapt in my throat, before Gamer's Mind asserted itself and returned me to a calm state. I had not expected this turn of events.

"Absolutely not!" My mother denied instantly.

"Mom..." I muttered, but she didn't seem to hear me.

"He's only 14! I won't send him out into the world, unsupervised!" She continued.

"Mom." My voice raised slightly, but she still didn't hear me.

"I refuse. He's all I have lef-"

"MOM!" I yelled, finally getting her attention. She gave me a shocked look.

I supposed it wasn't surprising; I'd never yelled at her before.

"I have to go." I said simply.

She gave me an angry look. "Listen here, Ten. It's not safe out there—"

Her breath caught in her throat when I manifested a **Ki** **Ball **in front of the two.

"That's..!" Kai looked amazed at the ball of energy floating over my hand. He looked at me. "How long have you been able to do this?"

"A while." I gave a noncommittal answer, before turning to my mother, re-absorbing the ball of ki. "I need to understand why I got this power, mom. You noticed it too, didn't you? My sudden change."

A moment of silence passed, before she threw herself onto me.

"I didn't think it would be anything like this!" She babbled. "I just thought you were finally coming out of your shell!"

"And, I am, mom." I smiled at her, hugging her back. "It's just that I came out much faster than I thought I would."

Another moment passed. And then—

"I'll see myself out." Kai stood up, giving me a nod. "My apologies for upsetting you, Miss Jean."

My mom didn't even acknowledge that he'd said a word, gripping me tighter as we heard the front door open and close.

"I don't want to lose you, too." She whispered. "Ten."

"You won't lose me." I smiled, rubbing at her back. "If anything, meeting this Master Roshi fellow will probably make me stronger than anything. That man's a legend for a reason, isn't he?"

She gripped me even tighter.

"All right." She pulled back, a determined look on her face. "I'll let you go. But, only if you can prove to me that you won't slack off on your studies!"

**Quest Alert**

**Show mom that your INT score isn't just for show.**

**Reward: 2,000 XP, 500 Rep with mom.**

**Failure Penalty: You will not train with Roshi until much later, which may lead to a higher chance of the destruction of the universe.**

**Accept / Deny**

Was there even a choice? I pressed accept.

"I'll take my year's— actually, I'll take this and the next year's final tests, mom. I've studied very far ahead." I gave her a confident smile.

She gave me an incredulous look, which then turned to curiosity. The rest of the night was spent with me completing test after test. Mathematics, chemistry, literature, physics, geography, many others.

I ended up acing every test she managed to find online, seeing the quest completion window pop up.

**Quest Complete!**

**2,000 XP! 500 Rep with mom!**

After the final test, my mom gave me a look of awe.

"I'd known you were doing well in class—" She said as we settled down in the kitchen. "But to be so far ahead! I'm so proud of you Ten!"

I blushed slightly as she hugged me tightly. "Thanks, mom."

She pulled back, a conflicted look on her face.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She said, biting down on her lip worriedly. "You're still so young, what if something bad happens and there's no one to help?"

I didn't reply, not really knowing how to deal with something like this.

She looked down. "I don't want to lose you— then I'd be all alone."

I felt my throat constrict, before Gamer's Mind asserted itself and nullified the feeling causing it. Ever since dad died, she'd become exceedingly protective of me.

I looked at my mother and observed her.

**Loving Mom**

**Jean - Lv 7**

**Rep: 7,300/20,000 Exalted**

**The most important person in your life. She brought you into this world, and took care of you, no matter how you acted. She loves you more than anything, having had a miscarriage with her first child. She is currently feeling distressed.**

Oh, crap. I didn't even know my mom tried to have a kid before me and failed. She must feel so bad, right now.

I pulled her into another hug.

"I'm sorry, mom." I said sincerely. "I know it's sudden, but..."

If the universe was destroyed, then I'd lose you; I wanted to say.

"...This is something I have to do." I said, instead. She wouldn't have believed me, otherwise.

A long moment passed, before she pulled away once more, giving me a watery smile.

"You're just like your father, you know." She said, reaching for a tissue but not quite getting there. I grabbed the box and moved it closer to her.

"What do you mean, mom?" I asked as she wiped the tears away.

"He always liked to wander, to explore the world." She said, eyes slightly unfocused like she was in another place entirely. "Remember his boat? I think the capsule's still in the attic."

A flash of standing on a motorboat, watching the sunset with mom and dad came to mind.

"Yeah, I remember." I smiled. "He let me drive it around once."

"Yeah." She giggled. "You were so cute, wearing a captain's hat and ordering us around."

I shrugged, a slight blush on my cheeks. We sat there in a comfortable silence, my mom glancing at me, while I stared at nothing in particular.

She nodded.

"All right." She said. "I'll let you go."

I turned, a grin forming on my face.

"But!" She raised her finger and waved it at me threateningly. "You'll have to take tests at the school so that you don't fail your year."

**Quest Alert**

**Pass your year finals.**

**Reward: 2,000 XP, 500 Rep with mom**

**Failure Penalty: ******You will not train with Roshi until much later, which may lead to a higher chance of the destruction of the universe.****

****Accept / Deny****

I nodded, having expected as much. "Yes, mom."

Though, why did I get same-y quests? I supposed it didn't matter. If I completed this quest, I'd hit level 5.

"Good." She yawned. "I'll get everything set up. We'll worry about what you'll need for the trip to the Muten Roshi afterwards. For now, I think you and I should turn in for the night— it's almost two in the morning!"

"Okay, mom." I replied, not really understanding how she could set up my exams with the school, but shrugging regardless. Maybe they let you test out early, if you had the aptitude. "Thanks."

"Anything for you." She smiled back. "Now go brush your teeth, dear."

"Yes, mom." I said automatically, already moving towards to the bathroom.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, April 24**

It'd been almost two weeks since I had the conversation with my mom. She'd gotten my exams set up a few days later; I guessed she had some pull with the principal— old friends, or some such.

I'd aced every single one, earning me enough experience to level. The principal had been flabbergasted by my performance, asking me how far along the curriculum I was. He'd ended up convincing me to take the remaining tests the school had to offer— and I'd done well on them all.

The look of excitement on the principal's face was overshadowed by the look incredulous outrage that came when I told him I was going on a trip to meet a martial artist.

"Wasting his life", he'd muttered under his breath, not knowing I could hear him.

I supposed, from an outside perspective, that my decisions made absolutely no sense. If they'd known that the destruction of the universe was coming, then they'd be doing the same thing I was.

**Ping!**

**Due to constant weightlifting, your STR has increased by 1****!**

I smiled at the notification and kept going. I had about ten more minutes before I had to stop, due to the [Exhaustion] de-buff I would incur.

My mom would be here in twenty minutes with my dad's old ship capsule, as well as supplies. I would've been ready a week ago, but we'd learned that the old motorboat needed quite a bit of touching up, as dad hadn't fixed it in quite a while and we'd never even bothered to use it ever since his passing.

I felt the effects of [Exhaustion] hit me, and sat down, pulling up my Status window with a thought.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 5 (1,200/6,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 1,288**

**MP: 1,103**

**Ki: 1,288**

**STR: 25 (36.25)**

**VIT: 30 (43.5)**

**AGI: 18 (26.1)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 20**

**Battle Power: 35.3**

**oooo**

My passive bonuses really were ridiculous. I pulled my Skills window and checked the two skills in question:

**oooo**

**Meditation (Lv 20 - 0% / Active, Passive): ******Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases MP regeneration by 195%. Actively increases Ki regeneration by 29%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 29%.  
****

****oooo****

**Martial Arts (Lv 15 - 0% / Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 16%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style**

**ooo**

As it were, these two skills were no longer increasing in level, but their benefits were already so ridiculous that it wouldn't matter as long as I kept acquiring stat points.

I had twenty points to spare, but I figured I'd keep them saved up until I'd met with the Master Roshi. He would likely know how best to distribute them.

I heard the telltale sound of the front door opening, and began to change into a fresh set of clothes, making sure to double check that my backpack was filled with all of the essential capsules, containing basically anything I would need on a sailing trip.

Capsules really were amazing technology, I thought with a smile.

The smile soon faded as a new window popped in front of me.

**Ping!**

**You are about to embark on your Quest.**

**Objective: Find the legendary martial artist, Muten Roshi.**

**Reward: 10,000 XP**

**Failure Penalty: You won't be able to train under the Master, which could eventually lead to the destruction of the Earth and the universe itself.**

I frowned; there wasn't even an option to accept or deny this quest. I supposed it made sense— I was already set to search for this guy, anyway. Denying wasn't an option.

I ran my hand through my hair before standing in front of the mirror, placing the backpack on the ground and checking myself over, pulling up my inventory to read each equipped item's description.

**oooo**

**Dark Gray, Long Sleeved Shirt**

**Class: Chest**

**Rarity: Common**

**Description: A dark gray shirt your mother bought from the supermarket. Does not offer any defensive bonuses.**

**oooo**

**Navy Blue Cargo Pants**

**Class: Legs**

**Rarity: Common**

**Description: A pair of pants your mother bought from the supermarket. They do not offer any defensive bonuses, thought the many pockets are useful for storing various things.**

**oooo**

**All-Terrain Shoes**

**Class: Feet**

**Rarity: Grand**

**Description: A pair of shoes your mother bought from the supermarket. 10% Increase in stability on any terrain. 5% Increase to running speed.**

**oooo**

Nodding to myself, I shouldered my backpack before dismissing all of my windows. I thought of putting it in the inventory, but then my mother would have more questions to ask.

It was best to keep things simple, for now.

I stared around my room, only just realizing that I wouldn't see this place for a long, long time. This room had been my haven for most of my life; when I realized I wouldn't be able to make friends, I withdrew into myself and just tried to have fun alone.

I stared down at the various gaming consoles, smiling slightly.

"Ten, are you ready to go?" My mom's voice tore through the comfortable silence, bringing me back to reality.

"Yes, coming!" I shouted back, moving to exit. I paused, giving my room one last, long look, before turning off the lights and leaving.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**

**Age 749, Thursday, April 24 (Around an hour later), South City Docks**

"-and make sure to check the boat for any leakages if you feel something's off!" My mom said for the second time at the pier.

I smiled and nodded, humoring the woman who for all intents and purposes, was going to be alone from this point on.

"I will." I reassured her confidently.

The trip to the docks would have only taken about fifteen minutes, but I'd suggested we have lunch together one final time, to which mom had agreed quickly.

"..." My mom's gaze turned intense for one second before she smiled. "You look just like your father."

I smiled back, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. "Thanks, mom. For everything."

A moment passed before she started rummaging through her purse, pulling out a beaded bracelet, the color of the beads alternating between black, white and brown.

"Here."

Curious, I cast Observe on the very familiar item, grabbing it as I read through its description.

**Beads of Haste**

**Class: Accessory (Wrist)**

**Rarity: Rare**

**The bracelet your father always used to wear. He always said it was his lucky bracelet. You've always thought it was too bad he wasn't wearing it the day of the accident. +5 to AGI.**

**Additional effect: ? , Insufficient AGI to unlock.**

"..Are you sure I should have this, mom?" I asked seriously. "I mean, this is dad's. I can't just-"

"I think he would've wanted you to have it." My mom said softly.

"Shouldn't you- I mean-" I found myself at a loss for words.

She shook her head. "I've many a memento of our time together. That bracelet was meant for you; your father always talked of giving it to you when you were ready."

When I was ready?

Was she talking about the hidden effect, or was it just a family heirloom passed on at a certain time?

**Quest Alert**

**Unlock the hidden power of your father's old bracelet and learn of your father's history.**

**Reward: 20 AGI, 10 All Stats, Closure**

**Failure Penalty: Nothing**

**Accept / Deny**

I blinked in surprise and bemusement, not having expected a quest alert, but also because the failure penalty didn't involve my death or the destruction of the universe.

I accepted the quest and the bracelet in question, wearing it on my right wrist. Immediately, I felt a shift in my balance, the 5 points of AGI quickly taking effect.

"Thanks, mom." I tried to smile but it came out awkwardly.

"I love you." She only hugged me in reply. "I know it's been hard for me to talk about your father, but I want you to know he'd be so proud of you right now."

I felt my breath hitch and my heart leap up my throat before Gamer's Mind muted those reactions. Eventually, I pulled away, throwing a capsule in the water which exploded in a big puff of smoke.

A few moments later, the smoke began to disperse, revealing a very familiar looking motorboat. It was one of the old models, so there wasn't much beyond what was necessary for it to function.

"Isn't she a beaut?" My mom's voice came from behind me.

"Yeah... Wait, what happened to the roof?" I mused, scratching my chin in confusion. "Something's not quite right."

"Oh, yeah." My mom moved to stand by me as we stared at the boat. "It had a roof— but it was so broken that I had it taken off. You _are_ going on a rather long trip, after all. It wouldn't do if you had to make any unnecessary repairs to it."

What she didn't say was that she likely couldn't afford to fix it.

"Good point, mom." I agreed with her, not letting on. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." She pinched my cheek in response, making me roll my eyes. "Now get on the boat, already. If you're going to make me say goodbye one more time, I'll ground you and make you stay here forever!"

Her voice was light, but I could feel an undercurrent of need coming from it.

I had no doubt she might do just that.

I nodded and moved to get on the boat, giving my mom one final hug before boarding the craft. It took me a second to familiarize myself with the controls, unfurling an old map and placing a compass on top.

The motorboat whirred to life, the loud rumbling sound being all I could hear for the next few seconds until my ears had adjusted.

I turned to look at my mother, giving her a wave- which she returned- and gently easing the boat out of the crowded docks.

When I had enough space to freely maneuver, I put on some more speed, sailing the boat towards the horizon.

The boat lurched suddenly, inexplicably increasing in speed. It wasn't much faster, but I hadn't adjusted the lever which adjusted speed, so I was a little confused. At least, until-

**Ping!**

**Through driving your father's old boat, you have acquired the following skill!**

**Sailing (Lv 1 - 0%/Passive) : Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on boat. Your father has shown you the basics of it all, so you know how to handle yourself at sea- but you are not very good at it. 5% Increase to boat speed.**

I rolled my eyes at the skill. _Of course _the game gave me something like this.

Yet another thing to grind, can't have me slacking off, eh?

I supposed that wasn't too bothersome, though. A passive speed boost which seemed to not take up any more gas than before could only be good.

I could cover more ground- or in this case, sail further.

I looked back to the docks, barely able to pick my mother out due to the distance.

I raised my hand in a final wave, watching her jump and wave at me for a few seconds, before I lost sight of her completely. I stared for a few seconds longer, mentally and emotionally processing the fact that I was alone, now.

**Ping!**

**You Sailing skill has gained a level!**

**Sailing (Lv 2 - 22%/Passive) : ****Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on boat. Your father has shown you the basics of it all, so you know how to handle yourself at sea- but you are not very good at it. 6% Increase to boat speed.**

I dismissed the window, and went to the unfurled map, checking my compass as I did so.

"Okay, so..." I looked over the map, pointing out my position to east of South City. "I'm more or less here."

My finger moved northeast, until I reached Fry Pan Mountain. "There's the mountain that's always on fire. Then east of it is.. an archipelago."

I scratched my chin.

"Kai said that the guy lived further east than that, on an island too small to locate by normal means, but that the people who live on this island here-" I checked further east to an island about a tenth of the size of the one South City was on. "-knew the guy, and how to reach him."

So, that was my plan, more or less. Northeast, then east along the coastline, then southeast to the large island. After that, figure out where the Master's island is from there.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, April 27**

I bit into the ration bar, grimacing slightly at the taste as I stared off into the horizon.

Nothing but water on all sides. I sighed slightly.

It had been three days since I set sail towards Fry Pan Mountain. I knew it would take a while to get to my destination, but damn.

I just didn't realize how boring it would be.

The rough distance between South City and Fry Pan Mountain was about 5000 km.

Seeing as this old boat could go at about 40 kph, I knew it would take quite a while to get to shore.

125 hours just for the base trip alone, not counting refueling, eating, sleeping, trying not to die of boredom...

Luckily, the boat didn't need much in the way of steering- my quickly rising sailing skill making it easy for me.

**Sailing (Lv 17 - 76%/Passive) : Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on boat. Your father has shown you the basics of it all, and you've further increased your aptitude. 21% Increase to boat speed. 5% Increase to turning speed.**

Come to think of it, the boat's speed was 40 kph without the speed boost— the speed indicator only showed the speed corresponding to the amount of fuel I was using.

So, I was actually going at, um.. 48 kph? A bit over that number. It was a marked improvement, but still irked me.

I shook my head and stared at my surroundings once more.

A few months ago, if you'd told me I would be alone, on my dad's old boat, looking for an ancient martial arts master to teach me how to fight, I'd have looked at you like you'd just escaped the insane asylum.

It was unbelievable, how I transformed from a snot nosed brat to who I was now. I mean, my strength was through the roof, my speed as well.

I had no doubt I could probably now contend with Olympian level athletes and not even break a sweat!

I smiled at the thought of bringing gold medals home, before it slipped off my face at the view from the distance.

Dark clouds were forming in the horizon. I felt the barest of breezes run over my skin, steadily rising in strength as the seconds passed.

I checked my compass and swore loudly. "Fry Pan Mountain's in that direction. I have to sail through it? _Fuck that._"

I scratched the back of my head, making sure to furl the map and put in my inventory; I wouldn't have wanted to get it wet. I made sure to check around the boat, spotting a few of my supplies lying around, putting them in my inventory instead.

Anything caught in the storm that wasn't tied down or heavy enough to not be swept away was as good as gone.

**Ping!**

**Due to acting quickly and methodically in the face of the storm, you've gained a level in Sailing.**

**Sailing-**

I dismissed the window, not particularly caring about a 1% increase in boat speed. I was somewhat disappointed I didn't get a quest from it.

**Quest Alert**

**Survive the storm**

**Reward: 5500 XP, 15 Levels in Sailing**

**Failure Penalty: Death. You also lose your dad's old boat; what kind of dickhead are you if you let that happen?**

**Accept / Deny**

Was my ability being smart with me or something? I'd never seen it straight up insult me, before. Was it perhaps affected by my own subconscious— or was it being controlled by someone else?

The only answer I received was the ever increasing strength of the wind, buffeting me to the side as the air pressure increased.

With a sigh, I accepted the quest and called up all knowledge I knew about surviving a storm.

Stow away all unnecessary items. Check.

Life jacket. I checked to my left, there was dad's old life jacket. I was a bit small for it, but it would have to do. I observed the item while putting it on.

**Life Jacket**

**Class: Chest**

**Rarity: Grand**

**Description: You might think you're a good swimmer, but faced with a storm, you can't truly beat the ridiculously huge waves. ****Instead of struggling to remain over the water forever, the Life Jacket will keep you floating safely over the water, thus allowing you to better focus on other tasks, such as not drowning like an idiot. 5% Increase in movement speed while in the water.**

As soon as the jacket was on, I felt it re-size itself to my form. Momentarily distracted, I let a smile grace my face for a few seconds, before I focused back to the matter at hand.

Life Jacket, check.

I couldn't really see any lightning coming from the storm, but it was probably safe to assume that it would come— best stay away from any metal rails and whatnot. Best bet would be to stay in the cockpit, as I was.

Basic safety, check.

Speaking of safety, I'd also hooked myself with a harness so I wouldn't fly off the boat. It was a flimsy old thing, but hopefully it would hold.

I turned the boat to drive away from the storm, only to realize, fifteen minutes in, that it was gaining on me, and looked to be getting stronger and stronger.

"Fuck." I swore loudly, before shaking my head and turning the boat to head straight in storm, instead. "No choice, storms in this region will get stronger the more time passes— at least until they hit the shoreline."

Seeing as I was 3 days away from South City's shore, I realized there was no choice. Flashes of lightning began to strike in the distance, illuminating the dark gray clouds above.

The waves, now mountains of water, rushed to me like implacable, angry beasts out to destroy me.

A wave of fear spread over me for an instant, but Gamer's Mind snuffed it out quickly.

So, I was afraid, I thought. I grit my teeth and turned my boat into the appropriate angle to sail through a wave, watching as the first of many reached me.

The boat shook and groaned as it ascended the first massive wave at a 45 degree angle.

As I crested the top, I felt weightless for a moment, before the boat crashed down, sending water high into the air and splashing me further as the storm raged on ahead, flashes of white in the seemingly endless gray.

Staring out into the distance, I was taken aback by the sheer power and horrifying beauty of nature. When I was a boy, I'd messed around with toy boats in the water, splashing water over them and capsizing them dramatically, imagining myself in storms such a this one.

I would be the daring hero braving the seas, easily able to drive through the storm.

And now, I was living it.

I barked out an exhilarated laugh as I frantically turned my boat to take on the next wave, feeling the boat groan and shake at the power of nature.

The wind felt mercilessly cold, the waves increasing even more in size as I wiped at my face for the third time that minute, trying to eyeball my way through the wrath of the storm.

**Ping!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**Ping!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**Ping!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**Ping!**

**Due to exposure to col-**

"No time, disable skill notifications." I stated clearly as I rode the next wave, slipping slightly on the wet floor.

That was close; the only thing that kept me on my feet— only just barely— were the pair of shoes I had equipped beforehand. Still, there was no time to think, I steered the boat to take on another wave, and another.

I moved to wipe the water off my face, losing concentration for a moment and slipping, falling on my ass— just in time for the biggest wave yet to hit the boat straight from the side.

My world was awash in water as the wave carried the boat higher, almost capsizing it in that one instant— a few more seconds, and it actually would, leaving me stranded at sea.

I pointed my palm at the wave below me.

**-500 Ki!**

"**Ha!**" I shouted as a white ball of power burst forth from my palm, smashing against the wave and tearing through it, instantly ruining whatever momentum it tried to build; a second later, the boat crashed into the sea below with another huge splash, wobbling dangerously as it attempted to right itself over the unforgiving, roiling water.

My head slammed into the floor with the impact, bouncing off of it with a flash of pain— but I paid it no mind, quickly getting to my feet and taking stock of the situation.

**-200 HP!**

I steered the ship as fast as I could, ignoring the quickly fading pain in my head. The ship groaned once more, but obediently moved towards the next wave— they just seemed to get bigger and bigger.

The next hour was a blur of frantic action, constant observation of the movement of the waves, trying to suss out the best path to take within the storm.

I'd lost an additional **500 HP** to situations I couldn't have possibly predicted. Having two humongous waves come at me from both sides wasn't something I expected. The boat _had_ capsized that time. It was only by using the rest of my Ki and detonating it underneath the boat that I was able to correct my position.

Things had looked bleak for a while. My HP was at less than half of its original value, and my Ki was sitting at about 20— I'd made sure not to use it all up, knowing that it would throw a **[Ki Exhaustion]** de-buff on top of my current problems.

But finally, the weather began to let up. It was still storming, sure, but the waves were relatively easy to manage in comparison to the hell I'd gone through earlier.

Two more hours passed, and I saw the most beautiful thing ever: clear blue skies, and calm seas. I urged the boat to go full speed, trying to get as far away from the storm as possible.

Not that it was necessary, the storm was naturally moving away from me on its own. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

Another twenty minutes passed before I was finally able to feel safe enough to stop the boat entirely.

I leaned against the dash for a while, taking deep breaths and re-enabling my notifications. I began to read through the list, and dropped the anchor to stay in place.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Due to exposure to cold, you have gained the following skill!  
**

**Cold Resistance: Through cold exposure, your body has learned to adapt. 3% Resistance to cold effects.**

**oooo**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**Cold Resistance has gained one level!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**...**

**Physical Resistance has gained three levels due to impacting your head against the floor!**

**Sailing skill has gained one level!**

**...**

**Through creative use of your Ki, you have unlocked the following two skills!**

**Ki Concussion (Lv 1 - 0%/Active): Through force of will, your Ki Ball explodes, sending out a wave of concussive force! Cost: 200 Ki. Damage: 350.**

**Ki User (Lv 1 - 0%/Passive): Ki is like a muscle, the more you exert it, the more powerful it becomes! 10% Increase in your Ki pool.**

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!**

**You actually managed to survive the storm!**

**5500 XP! 15 Levels in Sailing!**

**oooo**

**Ping! You have leveled up!**

**oooo**

Holy fuck, that was a lot of progress. I read through the skills that have been affected.

**Sailing (Lv 45- 0%/Passive) - ****Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on boat. You, having braved the storm and all its beauty and horror, know just how dangerous the sea can really be. 49% Increase in boat speed. 33% Increase in boat turning speed.  
**

**Cold Resistance (Lv 9- 42%/Passive) - ******Through cold exposure, your body has learned to adapt. 11% Resistance to cold effects.****

****Physical Endurance (Lv 15- 82%/Passive) - ******The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 17% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 6 (700/7,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 732/1,388**

**MP: 1,203**

**Ki: 350/1,527**

**STR: 25 (36.25)**

**VIT: 30 (43.5)**

**AGI: 23 (33.35)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 37.7**

**oooo**

I stared at my stats for a moment, before slapping myself in the face.

"...I should've used Mana Shield." I realized suddenly. In my haste, I'd completely forgotten I had the skill. Granted, I wasn't in grave danger, having around half of my HP left, but if I'd used my MP as a buffer, I would've had less trouble.

Meditating would, well, at an HP regeneration of 0.5%/min enhanced by 195% from the skill description, I would be regenerating around 20 HP/min, and around 22 Ki/min.

I'd be back to full health in half an hour. My Ki, on the other hand, would take about an hour to go back to full.

First, however, I stripped out of my wet clothes, hanging them over the wheel. Then, I pulled by backpack out of the inventory, pulling out another one of my nutrition bars, biting into it greedily.

**HP/Ki Regeneration has increased by 25% for 30 minutes!**

Blinking, I stared at the notification for a second, before dismissing it, casting Observe on another one of my nutrition bars.

**Nutri-Bar**

**Class: Food**

**Rarity: Common**

**Description: Part of the ration supplies your mother bought for your trip. They provide all the essential nutrition a body needs, though their taste could use some work. 25% increase to base HP/Ki Regeneration for 30 minutes.**

So that would change it.. only very slightly. Still, less time is less time. I had to work with what I could get. Hell, most people probably would not have survived hits like that.

I'd started out with around 100 HP. I would've died with the first hit, had I been a regular person. I really had come a long way.

With a sigh, I sat, naked, on the wet floor and initiated my **Meditation** skill, waiting and watching as my reserves slowly went back to full, keeping my mind busy with thoughts of further training, and getting so strong that a loss of 700 HP would mean nothing to me.

An hour later, I ended **Meditation** and stood back up, checking myself over to see if I was dry. A cursory look at my discarded clothes showed that they were still wet.

I grabbed my backpack, rummaging through until I reached the capsule which said "WDRB", short for "wardrobe". With a click and a throw, the capsule exploded, revealing a small dresser full of clothes. I pulled on a red shirt and brown pants, staying barefoot for the moment.

I'd wear socks when my shoes were all dried up. For now, it wouldn't hurt to be barefoot.

Starting up the boat, I stared out into the distance, smiling as I noticed the color of the water lightening ever so slightly— a sure sign of reaching landfall soon.

Dangerous as that experience was, I had to admit that it was great fun.

Just like an actual game.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Age 749, Wednesday, April 30, Shore to the east of Fry Pan Mountain.**

They came in the dead of night.

I had stopped for the day, anchoring my boat near the shore of Fry Pan Mountain— the most ridiculous sight I'd seen so far. It was on fire, but there didn't seem to be any fuel to feed the flames and keep it going.

A fire that required no fuel— there was no doubt; it had to be magical in nature.

Of course, I wasn't stupid enough to go check it out. The region had some pretty bad rumors surrounding it.

Something about a great big monster that made people disappear, as well as tales of a demon sorcerer who set fire to the mountain itself.

Of course, the choice was soon taken from my hands.

**"Quest: Survive the Pirate Raid" forcibly initiated**

**Reward: 5,000 XP**

**Failure Penalty: Humiliation, Degradation, possibly Death**

That was the only warning I had before I heard the loud bang of a gunshot, followed by a sharp pain in my right shoulder.

**-415 HP!**

"Argh!" I gripped my shoulder, falling to a knee, the boat's walls protecting me from the following hail of gunfire. It wouldn't hold for long, I thought. I crawled to the cockpit, turning the speed lever to its maximum output of 60 kph.

I heard the dismayed cries of what I guessed to be the pirates, dismissing the quest notification.

"Disable all notifications." I said and grabbed my backpack, eating a Nutri-Bar to increase my HP regeneration.

I wouldn't have time to use **Meditation**, but that was all right.

All I was trying to do was buy myself some time. The fuel would likely last for another 10 minutes before going on empty— they must have been watching me for quite a while. Attacking me near the point of refueling was no coincidence.

This was premeditated.

With my Sailing level having reached level 46, my boat was actually going at a speed of 90 kph. Judging by their dismayed cries, I hoped it meant that they couldn't match my boat's speed.

I waited for what felt like the longest minute of my life, before standing up to look.

Their boat was still trying to follow mine, but it could not keep up with my enhanced speed. They were still trying to shoot at me, but considering the nature of the sea...

They missed every shot. It would take a marksman of the highest caliber to be able to stand on a wobbling platform and shoot someone else on an equally wobbling platform, dealing with the additional issues wind resistance would give.

Still, I crouched a bit lower just to be safe, Observing each and every one of the pirates.

**South Sea Pirate**

**Walnu - Lv 7  
**

**HP: 1,500**

**Rep : 0/10,000 Hated**

**Description: Once from South City, Walnu, along with his brothers Dimsu and Fungu decided to become pirates, as they wished for an easy life, taking other people's hard earned money.**

**He plans on killing you.**

**Battle Power: 20**

**oooo**

**South Sea Pirate**

**Dimsu - Lv 8  
**

**HP: 1,700**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Hated**

**Description: Once from South City, Dimsu, along with his brothers Walnu and Fungu decided to become pirates, as they wished for an easy life, taking other people's hard earned money.**

**He plans on carving you up, hopes to make you scream.**

**Battle Power: 22**

**oooo**

**South Sea Pirate**

**Fungu - Lv 5  
**

**HP: 1,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Hated**

**Description: Once from South City, Fungu, along with his brothers Dimsu and Walnu decided to become pirates, as they wished for an easy life, taking other people's hard earned money.**

**He plans on stealing your things, not caring if you live or die through the process.**

**Battle Power: 15**

**oooo**

**South Sea Pirate Captain**

**Alamond - Lv 12  
**

**HP: 2,500**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Raised by his father to become a pirate, Alamond has learned to appreciate the thrill of the hunt, taking great pleasure in raiding boats, capturing its occupants and stealing their valuables.**

**He plans on stealing your things, and possibly selling you as a slave.**

**Battle Power: 25**

**oooo**

I crouched lower, making sure everything of mine was stashed into my inventory, before looking towards the shore— towards a forest that was right next to it.

"Risky." I said out loud, before shaking my head. It was either fighting pirates on open sea, or go into the forest, ambushing these creeps and having the trees and rocks as natural defenses against their firearms.

I had five minutes left before the boat ran ashore.

I called up my Status, reading over my stats carefully.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 6 (1,200/7,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 1,016/1,388**

**MP: 1,203**

**Ki: 1,527**

**STR: 25 (36.25)**

**VIT: 30 (43.5)**

**AGI: 23 (33.35)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 37.7**

**oooo**

I'd healed up a bit, I noted before my focus shifted onto my available points. I was hoping to save these until I got to Master Roshi, but that wouldn't matter if I was dead.

After agonizing over it for another minute, I added 20 points to my VIT and 5 points to my STR, pressing on Apply.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 6 (1,200/7,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 1,594/2,177**

**MP: 1,203**

**Ki: 2,395  
**

**STR: 30 (43.5)**

**VIT: 50 (72.5)**

**AGI: 23 (33.35)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 49.8**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Due to having reached 50 VIT, your base HP and Ki regeneration is now 1%/min! Furthermore, you can now exercise for three hours without succumbing to [Exhaustion]!**

**oooo**

My eyes went wide at the unexpected, but certainly most welcome change.

At 1% per minute, it'd make things a whole lot easier, especially with use of the Nutri-Bar, which increased it by another 25%. Considering my HP had almost doubled...

I belt the boat grinding against the shore below, and nodded to myself.

Hopping off the ship, I typed the combination to the side that would return it to capsule form, snagging the capsule after the telltale poof it gave out as it encapsulated the boat.

I took one last look at the sea— yep, they were fully committing to this— and made a beeline to the forest, running as fast as my legs could take me.

I could maintain this running speed for hours if I needed to, there was no way they'd be able to catch up to me.

Around twenty minutes later, the sound of automobiles in the distance dissuaded me of that arrogant notion. I hadn't taken into account them possessing any land craft.

They were pirates, for crying out loud.

At this rate, I knew they'd catch up to me in a matter of minutes. A cursory look at my HP showed that it was 40 HP shy of full. Good enough.

No more running, I decided as I leapt as high as I could, grabbing onto the branch above me, and settling into position, using the thick foliage as camouflage.

A minute passed as the vehicles drew closer and closer, their roaring engines filling the forest with a tension so thick that it was almost palpable to my physical senses.

Still, I remained quiet even as the two cars came into view.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**A skill has been created through concealing yourself thoroughly.**

**Sneak (Lv 1- 0%/Active): You're a ninja! Well, not really, but you have enough wherewithal to not prance around in the open where things can spot and kill you easily. 5% chance of staying unseen. Attacking while in this state will yield a critical strike; however, you will lose your [Concealed] buff as soon as you show yourself.**

**Critical strike: 50% Extra Damage to your intended target.**

**oooo**

Subtle, huh, game?

"Disable notifications." I muttered under my breath.

I stared as the four men followed my previous tracks, slowly making their way in my general direction.

"—slippery one, isn't he?" One said, his tone conversational, as if he did this sort of thing every day.

"I can't wait to try my new knives on him." The other replied with a manic grin.

"No spoiling the merchandise before I get a look." A third man, obviously the leader from the tone of voice he employed, sternly cut in.

He stood confidently, his blue eyes keen, inspecting his surroundings thoroughly as his armed lackeys moved around the forest, turning over leaves and rocks in futile attempts to find me while he stayed back, a machine gun at the ready.

Each lackey had a pistol, while the main threat had a machine gun. Part of their hunting strategy, perhaps?

If I escaped the three lackeys, he would be there to gun me down.

If I escaped him, the lackeys would rip through me.

Wait.

Their whole plan hinged on the notion that I would run— which, granted, I have been doing for the past half hour. But, I was not going to run anymore.

I was going to fight— to kill. These guys planned on torturing me, robbing me, enslaving me, or possibly even ending my life. If I was a woman, there was no doubt they would _sample_ _the_ _goods, _as it were.

No mercy.

I patiently waited, watching as one of the lackeys, Dimsu— the one that said he wanted to carve me up, began searching underneath my current position.

I silently dropped, both of my heels locked together, smashing into the back of the man's neck with all of my weight, Earth's gravity accelerating the strike much further. I felt and heard his neck snap, as well as the crushing of the flesh surrounding it.

I didn't even bother reading the now deceased man's HP counter, knowing nothing can survive a hit like that.

**+1,600 XP!**

I activated Mana Shield, before quickly rushing the nearest pirate— the level 5 Fungu— who'd screamed at the sight of his dead brother, pointing his gun at me and pulling the trigger.

The bullet missed completely, the surprise and sudden death of his brother having most likely disturbed his accuracy. Not that I cared, I thought as I snatched the man's wrist, driving my fingers so hard into it that I drew blood and forced him to let go of his pistol.

**-400 MP!**

I felt an impact against my Mana Shield, but I paid it no mind, pulling back my hand and driving it into Fungu's throat, closing my fingers and ripping his trachea out with a loud squelch, his spurting blood covering my face for a moment before I let go, watching Fungu crumple into the ground, twitching and choking on his own blood in a vain attempt to breathe.

**+1,000 XP!**

I had no time to realize how impactful the Tiger Style I'd learned was, as a volley of gunfire forced me to dive into the brush, crouching low in an attempt to make myself as small of a target as possible.

It had limited results.

**-200 MP!**

**-150 MP!**

**-50 MP!**

I was already at a third of my mana, with two more to go.

"Screw this shit, I'm out of here!" One of them cried, followed by a snarl and a loud gunshot filling the air.

"There is no room for deserters in the South Sea Pirates." The leader snarled.

One more to go, then, I thought as I activated my newly obtained **Sneak** ability, slowly moving to the side during the confusion, hiding under another brush without a sound.

I watched as Alamond mercilessly emptied his magazine into the bush I was previously hiding in, the entire forest shaking with the sound of heavy gunfire for a few moments.

And then, utter silence.

"Fucking hate it when they fight back." Alamond's irritated voice cut through the deathly silence as he approached the bush I was hiding in previously, checking through the foliage for my corpse. "Let's see what this stubborn shit was even protecting— it better be a fortune, cause he's cost me three guys."

That's when I made my move, jumping out of the bush, swiping down at his exposed neck with hooked fingers. The strike connected, ripping his carotid artery off and causing him to bleed profusely.

I righted myself to finish him off, only to look down the barrel of a loaded sawed-off shotgun. I raised my forearms as fast as I could to protect my face, before—

**Boom!**

**-400 MP!**

**-950 HP!**

The shotgun blast slammed against me, tearing through what little Mana Shield I had left as well as a good chunk of my health, sending me staggering back, until I tripped on a branch and fell— narrowly dodging the second shot by a hair's breadth.

If that had hit me... I would have been dead.

If I hadn't put the points I needed into my VIT and STR, I wouldn't have even survived this fight. I'd have been lying dead in a nameless forest, my body looted by some greedy pirate.

I scurried backwards, the sudden shock of fear overwhelming Gamer's Mind for an instant. Moving behind a tree, I made to peek at the downed Alamond, who was busy trying to put pressure on his neck wound in vain.

I cast Observe on him.

**oooo**

**South Sea Pirate Captain**

**Alamond - Lv 12  
**

**HP: 1,600/2,500**

**Effect: Bleeding Out - Lv 4: -400 HP/minute - Duration: 10 minutes**

**Rep: 0/40,000 Despised**

**Description: Raised by his father to become a pirate, Alamond has learned to appreciate the thrill of the hunt, taking great pleasure in raiding boats, capturing its occupants and stealing their valuables.**

**He was planning on stealing your things, maybe selling you as a slave, but now hates you beyond anything in life, due to your gravely wounding him.**

**Battle Power: 10 (Decreasing)  
**

**oooo**

Four minutes, and he would be dead.

I called my inventory up, pulling a Nutri-Bar and consuming it quickly, maintaining my **Sneak** skill as I moved silently backwards, putting as much distance between me and the pirate, who had his shotgun loaded and ready for bear, expecting me to come and finish him off.

How foolish.

I kept out of his sight, reactivating my notifications and gradually moving further back, until...

**+2,400 EXP!**

**oooo**

**Quest Complete**

**5,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**You have leveled up!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 7 (4,200/8,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 1350/2,299**

**MP: 25/1,303**

**Ki: 2,529  
**

**STR: 30 (43.8)**

**VIT: 50 (73)**

**AGI: 23 (33.58)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 5**

**Battle Power: 50.1**

**oooo**

Mana Shield had pulled its weight, I thought as I checked through my notifications.

**oooo**

**Mana Shield has gained 5 levels!**

**Mana Shield (Lv 20- 15%/Active): ******A wizard's bread and butter. A shield made out of a wizard's mana, covers the outline of his body. This skill costs 45 MP/min to remain active; however, all damage taken will drain the MP bar, instead of HP.****

****oooo****

****Physical Endurance has gained 3 levels!****

****Physical Endurance (Lv 18- 35%/Passive) - ******The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 20% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

**oooo**

**Through engaging in direct combat, Martial Arts has gained 1 level!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 16 - 75% / Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 17%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style**

**oooo**

**Sneak has gained 4 levels!**

**Sneak (Lv 5- 23%) - ******You're a ninja! Well, not really, but you have enough wherewithal to not prance around in the open where things can spot and kill you easily. 9% chance of staying unseen. Attacking while in this state will yield a critical strike; however, you will lose your [Concealed] buff as soon as you show yourself.****

"Wow." I said, reading through and dismissing my notifications, slowly making my way back to the now downed corpses of the men who had tried to kill me.

I stared at them stonily, anger coloring my features before Gamer's Mind asserted itself, calming me down.

The games I've played, the books I've read...

The hero always seemed to avoid trying to kill his foes, deeming it dishonorable— even going so far as to limit himself in some foolish attempt at fair play.

What was the point of fair play if you were dead, if your friends and family would not get to see you return?

This was the real world— I stared down at the bloody corpses for a long minute before walking away. At least, I tried to.

"**WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?**" I heard a loud, booming voice cry out.

I immediately dove into the bushes, activating my **Sneak **skill and staying very, very still; remembering the rumors of the loud monster lurking in the surroundings of Fry Pan Mountain.

A positively humongous behemoth of a man came into view. He wore a purple breastplate over his wide pants and boots, as well as a strange feathered, horned helmet with goggles.

Face set into a perpetual snarl, he scanned the surroundings as the ground shook with each step he took.

With a casual swing of his large axe— that I doubted I could swing so easily even with my enhanced strength— he tore through the surrounding foliage, not even feeling the trees slamming into his form.

What the hell is this guy?

I cast Observe on him, my eyes widening at the information shown.

**oooo**

**King of Fry Pan Mountain**

**Turtle School Student**

**Ox-King - Lv 32**

**HP : 16,000**

**Ki: 10,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Hated**

**Description: Referred to as the Emperor of Demons, the Ox-King has been killing those who trespass onto his kingdom grounds, suspecting their foul intentions and believing they are out to get his riches.**

**He is currently looking for you, so he can kill you for trespassing.**

**Battle Power: 100**

**oooo**

There was no beating this guy, I had to escape, no matter what. This guy would tear through me with _ease_.

I stood no chance— especially considering my currently weakened state.

**"Quest: Leave Fry Pan Mountain" forcibly initiated!**

**Reward: 10,000 XP, 10 levels in Sneak, ?**

**Failure Penalty: Swift death by Ox-King's huge axe.**

I dismissed the quest with a look of irritation as I slowly moved away from the giant, making sure not to step on any branches or dried leaves, and using the surroundings to my advantage.

I kept my pace, never releasing **Sneak**, in fear of the man following me.

I desperately wanted to run, but I would not tempt fate this way. Ten minutes passed, then twenty, then thirty, with the big man not having followed me.

I increased my pace ever so slightly, following along the tracks that the pirates had left in their chase of myself.

Faintly realizing that the Ox-King would eventually stumble upon these tracks, I threw caution to the wind, releasing **Sneak** and running as fast as I could, activating **Sprint** with every chance I got.

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I'd reached the shore, but I found my path cut off by... A girl my age?

What the hell? Why was she wearing a blue bikini— wait, no, those seemed more like armor plates. Her gloves, boots and helmet were pink. Why did the armor barely cover her body?

I was so confused.

She walked along the shoreline, her navy cape billowing in the wind as she toyed with the sharp, curved blade atop her helmet.

Re-applying **Sneak**, I then cast Observe.

**oooo**

**Princess of Fry Pan Mountain**

**Chichi - Lv 14**

**HP: 2,200**

**Ki: 500**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: The Princess of Fry Pan Mountain, Chichi is a kind girl, who hopes to find a man worthy of her charms, beauty and smarts. Nevertheless, be wary of angering her, as her wrath knows no equal.**

**She is currently guarding the pirate ship, hoping to intercept anyone who might try to escape.**

**Battle Power: 40**

**oooo**

It just wasn't my day.

I pulled my Status up and assigned all available points to my AGI stat, hoping to end the fight in one quick blow.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 7 (4,200/8,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 2,212/2,299**

**MP: 150/1,303**

**Ki: 2,529  
**

**STR: 30 (43.8)**

**VIT: 50 (73)**

**AGI: 28 (40.88)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 0  
**

**Battle Power: 52.5**

**oooo**

I maintained **Sneak** for a while longer, making sure to move to the young lady's flank, and waited for the opportune moment.

A few minutes passed, before the girl got distracted by a butterfly, staring at it as if transfixed. Activating **Sprint**, I felt the magical energy supercharging my leg muscles, allowing me to run at speeds beyond what a normal human might expect.

The plan was to knock her unconscious, and safely move her ashore. Of course, Chichi was anything but normal.

She spun to me instantly, releasing her curved blade from her helmet on instinct. The blade spun towards me like a buzz-saw of death.

If that thing hit me, I was toast.

Luckily, it wasn't as fast as a bullet.

**-1,500 Ki!**

"**Ha!**" A large ball of Ki burst forth from my extended palm, tearing through the bladed saw and exploding against the girl's form, sending her slamming into the pirate ship's wall head-first, before she fell, face down in the water.

I stopped my sprint, staring at her immobile form, casting Observe again.

**oooo**

**Princess of Fry Pan Mountain**

**Chichi - Lv 14 [Unconscious][Drowning]**

**HP: 1,200/2,200 [-100 HP/second due to Drowning]**

**Ki: 500**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: The Princess of Fry Pan Mountain, Chichi is a kind girl, who hopes to find a man worthy of her charms, beauty and smarts. Nevertheless, be wary of angering her, as her wrath knows no equal.**

**She is currently face down, unconscious and drowning.**

**Battle Power: 20**

**oooo**

I should just leave her there— she'd tried to kill me, after all.

'You were the one trespassing.' My conscience replied. 'If we let her die, that's on us, especially when we shouldn't have been here to begin with.'

"Fuck it." I shook my head with a loud curse; I ran to the girl, flipping her over and dragging her to shore.

I ignored the quickly swelling bruise on the back of her head, staring at the rising and lowering of her chest— or, lack thereof, in this case.

I sighed, knowing what I had to do in that moment.

This truly wasn't how I expected my first kiss to go. I knelt down by her side, checking to see if she was breathing at all with my ear by her mouth. I was wrong earlier, she was definitely breathing, though it was quite weak.

Placing my hands over her chest, I pressed down several times, letting go so that the chest was given room expand, before moving to press my lips against Chichi, forcibly pushing air into her lungs.

Our lips were intertwined for a long moment, before the girl's eyes opened wide. She pushed me off, her strength sending me tumbling back into the sand as she coughed the water in her lungs out.

We both sat up, each sporting a huge blush on our faces.

"**WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO MY DAUGHTER!?"** I felt the ground shake as the giant of a man came barreling out of the forest, axe raised up high, ready to execute me at that very moment.

This really, _really_ was not my lucky day.

At all.

Still, I got back to my feet and assumed my stance. Pointless fight or not, I wasn't going to let him get off easy.


	6. Chapter 5

I might do a Chichi pairing. I like Chichi. The story won't focus on the pairing of course, it's still about training, adventuring and fighting. But a little love here and there never hurt.

Note: I despise harems. So, please, do not ask me to write a harem fic. Ever.

Another thing to note, Ten is not here to replace Goku as a character in the series. All of the Dragonball characters exist. Not that it mattered if a whole bunch of them did? What use was Yamcha in any of the arcs— Yamcha's role has always been to lose to show how strong the enemy is.

Which is a shame, imo. I quite like Yamcha. I like all the human characters. I'm one of those dragonball fans who despise what DBSuper has become— just more Super Saiyan forms and lazy retcons.

Anyway, on with the story.

**Chapter 5  
**

**Age 749, Wednesday, April 30, Shore to the east of Fry Pan Mountain.**

The mountain of a man barreled past me as I leapt to the side, narrowly dodging his axe with a flash of panic that was almost instantly suppressed by Gamer's Mind, placing me in a state of absolute calm.

"Mana Shield." I activated the skill with a mutter, feeling the drain of my mana commence. At best, I'd be able to hold the shield for a minute, with it offering me minimal protection— barely 50 damage.

In a fight like this, though, I would take what I could get.

With that thought in mind, I got back to my feet and rushed the giant, crossing the distance between us with a massive leap, both my legs extended to deliver as much damage as I could.

My feet slammed into his back with great force, but it only moved him a few steps forward. He hadn't even grunted from the blow, merely raising his hand to scratch at his chin!

That had been enough to kill one of the pirates, and this man had just shrugged it off like it was nothing— like a fairly irritating bug bite.

I jumped back in time for him to smash the ground open with the blunt side of his axe, casting Observe to assess the situation.

**oooo**

**King of Fry Pan Mountain**

**Turtle School Student**

**Ox-King - Lv 32**

**HP : 15,500/16,000**

**Ki: 9,000/10,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Hated**

**Description: Referred to as the Emperor of Demons, the Ox-King has been killing those who trespass onto his kingdom grounds, suspecting their foul intentions and believing they are out to get his riches.**

**He wants to beat you to death for daring to sully his daughter.**

**Battle Power: 100**

**oooo**

I only did 500 damage? His Ki was down a thousand points, as well. Why?

Possibly a similar skill to my shielding ability— that was the extent of my thoughts before he lobbed the axe, the implement of death spinning with great speed.

Like father like daughter, I thought and dove to the side, the axe tearing through a number of trees and leaving a path of devastation in its wake, the ground shuddering with trees impacting the ground.

This man's attack and defense were monstrous. Even if I were to unload all my remaining Ki on him, he would still be above 14,000 HP, assuming his own Ki didn't absorb the blow.

I should have been feeling hysterical, but all I felt was the cold calm of Gamer's Mind asserting itself over me.

That's right.

There was no need to doubt myself.

Fight in the moment, Ten.

Ignore your instincts to flee.

Watch him closely!

Find his weakness!

The Ox-King barreled towards me once more, mistaking my lack of movement for defeat. Within seconds, he was on me, his massive arm coming down in a wide arc.

There!

I stepped inside his guard, using his heavy arm to maneuver myself under his armpit, driving my fingers into the soft flesh, disabling his arm for the time being.

As he stared in surprise at his immobile left arm, I pointed both hands in the man's face.

**-1,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!****" **My palms erupted with all of my remaining power, the blast exploding at point blank range in his face, with enough force to send me stumbling back slightly.

I heard the man's groan and made to run to the shore, knowing this was the only chance I had at escaping.

A moment later, I felt a strong grip on my leg before I was lifted in the air and mercilessly smashed into the ground.

**-1,500 HP!**

My ears ringed with the harsh impact, pain suffusing into my whole being, not allowing me to think. I felt myself shifting once more, realizing the man had never let go my leg.

I blinked, and found myself staring into the angry snarl of the Ox-King.

"**So, you thought you could come into _my _kingdom and steal my treasure!?**" He growled in his deep voice. I didn't answer for a moment, merely looking at his HP, which was sitting at 13,000.

I found myself flying as the man threw me like he would his axe, crashing through a tree and embedding into the boulder behind it— right next to his axe which was embedded into the stone.

**-600 HP!**

I lay there for a few moments, my body totally out of my control as I stared up into the sky, the red glow of the fiery mountain blocking out most of the stars, with the exception of a scant few, as well as half moon proudly above us.

I got up slowly, the feeling of dizziness and tiredness slowly fading into a background buzz, held at bay by Gamer's Body.

If I were any other person, they'd likely be too out of it to even form any thoughts.

I called up my Status.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 7 (4,200/8,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 199/2,299**

**MP: 3/1,303**

**Ki: 5/2,529  
**

**STR: 30 (43.8)**

**VIT: 50 (73)**

**AGI: 28 (40.88)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 0  
**

**Battle Power: 10  
**

**oooo**

That was it, I was almost completely spent.

One more hit and I was done for. Dismissing the window, I assumed a stance, watching as the Ox-King slowly walked into view.

"You're not running away." He said in confusion as he finally stood a few feet from me.

His snarl was gone, replaced by a mix between a grimace and a confused purse of his lips. His voice was no longer the overpowering sound it had been earlier.

"Why?"

I barked a laugh.

"Is there even a point?" I gestured to my shirt, riddled with bullet holes and further torn by the sheer brutality of the fight against the giant before me. "I'm at the end of my rope. I already had to deal with those pirates, and then _you _came out of nowhere trying to kill me."

A long moment passed.

"You mean, you're not here to steal my treasure?" The big man said in a mix of surprise and suspicion. "Why should I believe you? Plenty have tried that old trick, lying to try and get away after getting caught red handed!"

He looked to be preparing to barrel towards me again.

I snarled, a great rush of anger suffusing in my body for a few seconds before Gamer's Mind smothered it in an absolute sea of calm.

"You may try to kill me." I stated in a monotone, preparing myself for death as I assumed the stance Kai taught me, fingers bared in a claw-like grip. "But you will not get off easy."

The man stopped for a moment, taking my measure, before he made to rush towards me once more.

This was it.

The final moment.

"Dad! Dad, stop!" A voice cried, stopping us both in our tracks. Turning to the source, I realized who the sound belonged to. The girl; Chichi.

Was she here to help him finish me off?

**oooo**

**Princess of Fry Pan Mountain**

**Chichi - Lv 14  
**

**HP: 1,450/2,200  
**

**Ki: 500**

**Rep: 5,000/10,000 Well Liked  
**

**Description: The Princess of Fry Pan Mountain, Chichi is a kind girl, who hopes to find a man worthy of her charms, beauty and smarts. Nevertheless, be wary of angering her, as her wrath knows no equal.**

**She is currently confused, unsure of how to feel about you, as you attacked her but also saved her life. She likes you.  
**

**Battle Power: 25**

**oooo**

I guessed not. What the hell? How did I go from Neutral to Well Liked? I'd only given her.. CPR..

Oh. My face was beginning to feel hot as I realized the implications.

Who the hell decides they like someone because they received CPR?

It made no sense!

"Chichi! You're all right!" The man completely changed his demeanor, running towards his daughter in what almost seemed to be a comical fashion, hugging her tight against him. "I was so worried! Did that man hurt you, sweetie!?"

I kept my stance, realizing this situation was about to get a whole lot worse.

"No, he didn't!" She said, before looking a little confused. "Well, he _did_, but he made up for it by saving my life!"

"B-but he put his lips on yours!" The giant argued, pointing at me.

Chichi blushed profusely at the man's loud words, covering her face at the very mention of it. I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks as well.

"No, dad." She shook her head, face still a bright pink. "I was drowning."

A moment passed before the man made an overly long grunt of understanding. Then, he turned to me. I still kept my stance, watching his every move.

"Still, that doesn't excuse him trespassing on my land." Ox-King declared.

"Was I supposed to let the pirates kill me?" I asked blithely, tensing as he began to walk back towards me. "It was either fight them at sea where they could pick me off with guns, or I could go into the woods and ambush them, maybe make it out alive."

"..." Ox-King stared at me for a long moment, before giving a long, and loud guffaw.

I stared in bemusement, wondering what the guy was thinking right at this second. Weren't we going to fight?

"You've got guts, boy." Ox-King moved towards me, mouth set in a severe expression before finally stopping a few feet from me once more.

I tensed, waiting for the strike to come— but it never did.

Instead, he extended his hand.

I stared at it, completely dumbfounded by the gesture.

"I respect that." He said, extending his hand further and gesturing for me to shake it.

I didn't move for another second, before old instincts kicked in and I shook his hand with all of the strength I could muster.

"My, you're a strong one, aren't you?" He grinned, shaking my hand wildly. If he raised his hand even further, I'd be thrown around again! "What's your name, boy?"

"It's Ten." I replied as I pulled my hand away, scoffing at the comment he made. "Strong? None of my moves had any effect on you!"

The Ox-King guffawed once again as his daughter moved towards us to stand by his side. "I would have been surprised if they had! Though, that final move of yours did pack quite the punch..."

I nodded, glancing at Chichi and accidentally making eye contact with her. She looked away, blushing and smiling as she did so. She actually looked pretty cute— No, Ten. Focus.

Don't look at the girl who likes you.

Ox-King looked between us, a strange grin sporting his features for a moment, before he boomed. "I am the Ox-King, King of the Fire Mountain! And this," He gestured at Chichi, who eep'ed and gave a short bow. "Is my beautiful daughter, Chichi!"

"Err... Please to meet you." I said, not quite sure of the situation currently playing out.

"Dad!" She said in embarrassment, but the old man laughed it off. A few moments later, however, his mood turned serious.

"Who trained you, boy?"

I blinked, before answering. "Just the master of a local dojo in South City. He taught me the ins and outs of the Tiger Style."

"I've seen a few master martial artists using it over the years. It's quite the impressive style." The giant commented lightly, wiping at his goggles with a piece of cloth. "I saw the men in the forest. That was your doing?"

I nodded silently, noting that I barely felt anything over the men who'd lost their lives tonight. Was this another effect of Gamer's Mind— taking away my empathy?

No. No, I felt empathy. I just didn't feel empathy for pirate scum, I realized.

"A very dangerous style indeed. In the wrong hands, well... It certainly speaks of your strength of character if you don't use it against the weak and helpless, instead turning it to those who do." He said gravely, before his eyes lit up as he recalled something. "Did they also teach you how to harness your inner power?"

"Ah, no..." I denied, wondering what I should tell the guy.

He was trying to kill me just a few minutes ago, after all. Hell, he could change his mind at any moment and finish me off at his leisure.

It wasn't like I could put up much of a fight if he did.

I supposed it didn't matter if he knew.

"I taught myself." I finally said at his curious demeanor.

_That_ seemed to get a reaction.

"Just a boy, and already able to use your inner power?" Ox-King said in amazement, his daughter mirroring his look. "That's unheard of! Even the Master hadn't..." He trailed off.

I frowned at his words, but gave a mental shrug for the moment.

"Well, um..." I started, not really knowing what to say. "Since I've established that I'm not a pirate, may I be allowed to leave?"

"Ah, you mustn't! In your current state, going back to sea could cause you great harm!" The big man exclaimed, giving a short glance to his daughter before moving his gaze back to me.

"You must stay the night with us. It is the least we could do, after taking care of the pirates for us and our trying to punish you for it." He finished, trying to give an amiable smile. To my surprise, I found myself relaxing.

"All right." I agreed, suddenly feeling very drained. Was it a de-buff?

I shook that thought off.

Who _wouldn't_ be exhausted after a night of running from pirates, hiding in a forest, killing pirates, hiding from a giant of a man, then expending half of my power, only to then _fight_ the big hulking man I likely wouldn't have won against even if I was at full power?

The Ox-King noticed my sagging form, but didn't comment on it as he led the way to a nearby town, close to the base of the fiery mountain.

Looking around, I noticed something was off. the town was empty, replete with dust and trash. The houses looked totally abandoned, with the exception of one— the one we were headed to.

We passed a small courtyard, its center filled with a pile of bones.

For a moment, I felt myself come back to attention.

Was that what was going to happen to me?

"Those are just a few dead pirates." The Ox-King explained, noticing my alarmed look. "They killed our last neighbor, and so I delivered justice unto them. They sit in the main yard as a reminder to any who attempt to prey on our community."

A few seconds passed as we drew closer to the Ox-King's home.

"Well, I say 'community', but it's a fact that we haven't had a proper kingdom in many years now." Ox-King admitted sadly as he opened the door to his home, Chichi running inside and going straight up the stairs, pausing for a few moments to glance in my direction with a bright pink blush.

I followed the man and his daughter inside, feeling oddly refreshed as a burst of cool air hit my face.

In the excitement, I hadn't noticed how hot my body felt until I came into the air-conditioned home.

I supposed Fry Pan Mountain had caused the sweltering heat. Flames going strong for years likely had that kind of effect on the weather.

It actually made sense as to why the forest had seemed especially dry when it was April. Ecosystems quickly changed when the weather did.

Pulling my shoes off and leaving them at the door, I entered the household proper. Hearing the Ox-King's call, I went further inside, into the living room, where the man was calmly sat on the positively huge couch.

Not exactly how I'd expected the house of a King to be.

But then again, his castle was up the fiery mountain. It wasn't like he could move it down here. I gave a mental shrug before sitting on the couch opposite of his. He gestured towards the table in front of me, on which a bottle of water sat.

I grabbed the bottle, casting Observe as I did so.

**Bottle of Water**

**Class: Drink**

**Rarity: Common**

**Description: Your basic bottle of water. Keeps your body hydrated so you can exert yourself for longer. 10% Increase in HP/Ki Regeneration.**

My Observe had never been fooled in the time I've had it. I gave the large man a nod of thanks, before taking a long drink of the water. "Thank you, Mr. Ox-King."

The man grunted in reply, before staring at me for a long moment.

"So, South City, you said?" The man said lightly. I nodded in reply. "Quite the long way from home, and alone to boot. What brings you here?"

I took another long gulp of water, before replying.

"Well, as I said, I was learning at a dojo in South City, but its master told me that he had nothing left to teach me after around a month of learning." I started to explain, but was cut off.

"A single month?" The man seemed incredulous at what I'd said. "Remarkable."

I gave a nod of confirmation. "So, he told me to seek another man out for further training."

"Another man, you say..?" Ox-King queried, pulling his goggles off to show me his dark eyes. "It wouldn't happen to be the Muten Roshi, would it?"

Ox-King smiled wider at the look of surprise I gave him. He looked me over.

"You certainly are at a level advanced enough to start his training." Ox-King noted, scratching at his beard absentmindedly. "Certainly more advanced than when I'd started."

"Wait." I exclaimed in surprise. "You were taught by this Master?"

"Yes." The large man confirmed with a grin. "I was his second best pupil! Second only to my friend, Gohan!"

Of course, it made sense: the ridiculous durability, the high HP, Ki and Battle Power stats, it had to have been the fruit of the training Master Roshi gave. But, if he was trained by Roshi, that means...

"Do you think you can tell me where he is?" I asked, ignoring my sheer exhaustion for a moment. "The rumors I've heard and research I've done all point to a small, remote island east of the archipelago near here."

"Is it truly?" Ox-King sounded ecstatic all of a sudden, before realizing what I'd asked and sagging slightly in the couch. "I'm afraid I don't know where the Master is, boy. If I did, I would humbly ask that he put the fire of the mountain out for me!"

Put the fire out?

At my confused look, the large man continued to speak. "There's this special fan, the Bashosen; a fan with magical powers, you see. With a single wave, it can raise a typhoon; with a second wave, a thunderstorm; and, with the third wave, a monsoon!"

I processed the man's words, wondering whether that item actually existed or not. It seemed a bit too powerful to be real, I thought.

Then again, a few months ago, I wouldn't have believed I was able to take a shotgun blast at point blank range and survive to tell about it.

"You want the monsoon to take care of the fire, I'm guessing?" I tried, taking another gulp of water.

"Exactly." The great big man nodded emphatically, before he turned his gaze to me. "Might I ask a favor of you, then, my boy?"

You tried to kill me not an hour ago, I wanted to say.

"Um, depends on what it is you want." I said, instead. "I might say no."

"Understandable, after what I've put you through." Well, at least the guy had the decency to admit when he'd royally fucked up— heh, get it, royally fucked up? Cause he's a king? "I would request that you retrieve the Bashosen from the Master, and help me put the fire out from the mountain?"

I wanted to say no, but he looked so hopeful..

**Quest Alert**

**Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire!**

**Seek out Master Roshi, retrieve the Bashosen and put the fire of the mountain out for good!**

**Reward: 15,000 XP, ?, Greatly Increased Rep with Ox-King and Chichi.**

**Failure: Reduced Rep with Ox-King and Chichi.**

**Accept / Deny**

Pressing on accept, I replied with the first smile I had that night.

"I'll do as you ask." I replied with a nod.

"Great!" Ox-King stood up abruptly, clapping his hands with a meaty smack. "Allow me to escort you to the guest room, I'm sure you're in need of a good rest, after your long night."

I followed him with a mutter of thanks, glad to sleep in a real bed after so long.

**oooo**

****Age 749, Thursday, May 1, Town at the Base of Fry Pan Mountain  
****

****You've slept in a bed! HP, MP, and Ki fully restored!****

****Ping! Due to recovering from the worst beat down of your life, you gain +2 to STR, +2 to VIT, 1 level in Martial Arts and 3 levels of Physical Endurance!****

My eyes went wide at the new notification, pulling up my Status and the relevant skills.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 7 (4,200/8,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 2498**

**MP: 1,303**

**Ki: 2748  
**

**STR: 32 (47.04)**

**VIT: 52 (76.44)**

**AGI: 28 (41.16)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 25 (32.25)**

**Points: 0  
**

**Battle Power: 54.9  
**

**oooo**

****Martial Arts (Lv 17 - 82% / Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 18%.****

******Known Styles: Tiger Style******

******oooo******

****Physical Endurance (Lv 21- 45%/Passive) - ******The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 23% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

**oooo**

I stared at my full stats for another moment, dismissing all of the windows and clenching my fist, feeling the raw power within. With a smile, I got off the bed and carefully scrutinized my surroundings.

It wasn't much of a room, if I had to be honest. The design was spartan— there was a bed, a chair and a small table. That was it.

My eyes roved over the table, seeing a note attached to it. Curious, I took the note and read through its contents, only to frown. It was just a bunch of random doodles— probably some discarded or forgotten piece of paper.

Placing it back on the table, I moved back to lie on the bed, sighing as I recalled the events of the night before. Three men had lost their lives to me, last night.

"Is it my fault?" I muttered to myself, before shaking my head almost immediately after. Now that I had clarity of thought, it all seemed quite simple, really.

I'd given them a fair few chances to leave. The first was by trying to escape with my boat. The second was trying to outrun them in the forest. Two ample chances, and they instead decided that living wasn't their preferred mode of existence.

I shouldn't have been feeling guilt over it.

So, why did I keep hearing the sound of spines snapping and throats being crushed?

There was no answer.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Age 749, Tuesday, May 6, Out at Sea, East of Fry Pan Mountain**

There it was, the archipelago. I smiled as I lowered my binoculars and sat in the boat's driver seat, calling up my inventory and pulling a bar of chocolate Chichi had given me a few days before.

Taking a bite and sighing in contentment, my mind wandered to the girl in question: she'd been quite strange, but oddly pleasant.

Though, it was pretty obvious that the Ox-King was orchestrating situations so that she and I spent time together, which frankly irked me to no end.

Still, I quite liked the attention she was giving me, my own experience at school with girls having been a total disappointment.

Other kids my age had already begun to pair up and go on dates and such.

Not me, though. No girl ever seemed interested in me. It wasn't for lack of trying, either. I was simply too unremarkable, and weird.

All people saw when they looked at me was a gamer geek who sucked at sports and didn't know how to talk to people.

They thought I was pathetic, I knew because loose lips tended to flap often when I was in earshot.

I remembered a particular event- one of my worst memories, in fact.

I had finally plucked enough courage to ask the girl I liked out to a dance.

Her answer?

She'd laughed in my face, her friends joining her. I could still perfectly remember that cruel laughter.

It was one of the worst days my life, I recalled, my mood sobering slightly as I stared off in the distance, though the chocolate gradually lightened things.

Then, a few months later, I'd gained my Gamer powers and raised my stats through training.

After I'd shown off during gym practice, those same girls thought they could actually approach me. They even had the audacity to ask me out.

Likely, they expected me to say yes outright; I was the quiet, socially awkward geek, so why would I ever deny the request of a beautiful girl?

I had taken great pleasure in totally ignoring them, recalling a conversation I'd had with an older man in one of the many MMORPGs I've played in the past.

"Just grit your teeth through it," He'd said. "Eventually you'll find someone who'll appreciate you for who you are, not what you look like, or how popular you are. Ignore any who don't."

Back then, I thought the guy was just consoling me, but he'd been right on the money.

Speaking of of someone who appreciated me; Chichi, over the past week I spent at the Ox-King's house, had grown quite attached to me.

Calling up my quest list, I read through the latest one I'd received.

**oooo**

**Will You Be My Princess?**

**You've caught the eye of the Princess of Fry Pan Mountain! Could she be the one? Woo her and find out!**

**oooo**

There was no reward for either success or failure, but it had activated a few days into my stay with the Ox-King and his daughter.

I suspected my quickly rising Rep score with her was the trigger. I dismissed the window, taking another bite of the chocolate with a sigh.

"She actually really likes me." I said out loud. "Her Rep score, the quest, the way she behaves around me; she likes me."

It wasn't even the shallow sort of liking, either. I would have understood if she'd simply had a crush, considering I saved her life through CPR.

That wasn't the case.

She'd offered to spar with me, eager to test my skills, and also struck up conversation with me about books and art.

She was a surprisingly very learned girl, especially considering she lived out in the middle of nowhere at the base of a mountain that was on fire all year long.

However, I thought the best part about her was that there was never any pressure.

I knew she liked me, but she never pushed me to do anything, even though I could tell she desperately wanted to. A few surreptitious Observes told me that much.

Still, we were too young to do anything more than just hang out, and I didn't have the nerve to initiate any contact more intimate than a pat on the shoulder.

The final day of my stay had been pretty hard on her, too.

She looked like she was going to cry as I said my goodbyes to the Ox-King, promising I'd retrieve the Bashosen to douse the flames on his mountain.

So, I did the only thing I thought would cheer her up.

I'd given her a hug, and a kiss on the cheek.

The smile and blush that blossomed on her face afterwards were the most radiant things I'd ever laid eyes on.

I had simply stared at her for a few moments before mirroring her blush and hopping onto my boat, launching the craft at top speed.

I smiled slightly as I came back to reality, turning the boat just enough to avoid one of the islands, blushing again at the thought of Chichi.

Then, my smile turned into a frown as I laid my eyes on another quest.

**oooo**

**Find out why you received the power of The Gamer!**

**Reward: 5,000,000 XP**

**Failure penalty: Death. Possible destruction of the universe.**

**oooo**

My frown deepened as I called my Status screen forth as well as my Skills.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 9 (3,600/10,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 3,283**

**MP: 1,624**

**Ki: 3,939**

**STR: 38 (57.38)**

**VIT: 55 (83.05)**

**AGI: 33 (49.83)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 30 (38.7)**

**Points: 10**

**Battle Power: 63.4**

**oooo**

**Martial Arts (Lv 21 - 55% / Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 22%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style**

**oooo**

**Physical Endurance (Lv 25- 21%/Passive) - The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 27% Decrease in Physical Damage taken.**

**oooo**

**Sneak (Lv 15- 52%) - You're a ninja! Well, not really, but you have enough wherewithal to not prance around in the open where things can spot and kill you easily. 19% chance of staying unnoticed. Attacking while in this state will yield a critical strike; however, you will lose your [Concealed] buff as soon as you show yourself.**

**oooo**

**Mana Shield (Lv 25- 25%/Active): A wizard's bread and butter. A shield made out of a wizard's mana, covers the outline of his body. This skill costs 40 MP/min to remain active; however, all damage taken will drain the MP bar, instead of HP.**

**oooo**

**Ki Ball (Lv 20 - 14%/Active): Since time immemorial, living creatures have learned to harness their life energy and bring it to the surface. The Ki Ball is the most basic of techniques. It has a base cost of 400 Ki, and deals 600 damage. Further damage will require more Ki, at the same ratio of cost. Note that the Ki Ball will become larger and slower the more Ki you inject into it.**

**oooo**

**Ki Concussion (Lv 6 - 22%/Active): Through force of will, your Ki Ball explodes, sending out a wave of concussive force! Cost: 200 Ki. Damage: 450.**

**oooo**

**Ki User (Lv 11 - 0%/Passive): Ki is like a muscle, the more you exert it, the more powerful it becomes! 20% Increase in your Ki pool.**

**oooo**

I'd made a _lot _of progress.

My **Martial Arts** skill was actually increasing, Chichi was quite near my level as a fighter, and Ox-King was well above it, so sparring against them actually forced me to refine my technique.

Any time I went against the Ox-King, I also gained levels in **Physical Endurance**, as well as points VIT and STR.

Fighting Chichi raised my AGI stat, and our in depth discussions on the many books we've read managed to raise my WIS by 5 points!

The only thing that hadn't risen in level had been my **Meditation. **No matter how long I practiced it, it seemed stuck— and I had no idea why.

With a sigh, I wondered if I was progressing at a fast enough pace.

Ox-King had said that I had already surpassed the level he was at when he was my age, before fondly reminiscing on the old days he had with the master and his best friend Son Gohan, who was currently out living in the mountains— East District or something.

Still, how would I be able to stop the destruction of the universe with my current power?

Judging by how far I'd gone in less than two months, what would I be like in a year? Two? Twenty?

My quest had no time limit— who knew when it would occur? I shook these thoughts off, focusing my attention on leveling my Observe skill on the animals I had spotted in the archipelago earlier.

Putting my binoculars back on, I seeked out the easiest animals first, birds- casting Observe every so often.

**oooo**

**Archaeopteryx - Lv 4**

**HP: 500**

**Description: An odd mix of dinosaur and bird, this particular breed possesses both characteristics of the two races in question; those being scales, and feathers.**

**This archaeopteryx is currently looking for food.**

**Battle Power: 10**

**oooo**

**Day-Bat - Lv 8**

**HP: 1200**

**Description: A strange breed of bat which evolved to hunt during the day. It has lost its ability to use sonar, developing keen eye-sight instead.**

**This day-bat currently plans to kill one of the archaeopteryx it has its eyes on.**

**Battle Power: 20**

**oooo**

**Giant Dragonfly - Lv 13**

**HP: 2500**

**Description: A powerful species of dragonfly found either in this location, or in the Western Hemisphere of Earth. A deadly species, it swoops down on its prey, ripping their heads off with its serrated mandibles.**

**This giant dragonfly is currently hovering over the forest, searching for its next meal, likely a juvenile dinosaur.**

**Battle Power: 45**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Observe has gained a level!**

**Observe (Lv 26-0%/Active): Through continuous observation, a skill to observe objects, situations, and persons was generated allowing the user to quickly gather information. The higher the skill, the greater the data obtained. Observe will show your target's HP/MP/Ki, their level, age, race, as well as their battle power.**

**oooo**

"That… Doesn't really look like much of a change." I stated. What use did I have of knowing a thing's race or age? It was obvious through basic observation.

Giving a mental shrug, I resumed my onslaught of observation, wondering how much longer this trip was going to take.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Friday, May 9, Out at Sea, East of the Archipelago**

The answer was three days.

Though, if it weren't for the storm, it might've been two days, instead. I had been forced to stay at the Archipelago for a while.

I learned a valuable lesson, there.

Killing things actually gave me experience.

I hadn't noticed it at first, as my notifications had been disabled for a while, but while I was checking on my HP after a particularly nasty fight against one of the native T-Rex'es, a blue monstrosity, I was surprised to have gained a level up.

I remembered wondering whether or not the men I'd killed counted, before nixing that idea posthaste. People were not experience points, end of story.

Animals, on the other hand…

I racked up another two levels, making sure to kill anything that attacked me, rather than actively hunt things down.

It wouldn't do to destroy an entire habitat just for the sake of gaining experience, would it?

Another benefit was that I received further points to my STR, AGI and VIT.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 12 (2,100/13,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 3,977**

**MP: 1,924**

**Ki: 4,773**

**STR: 42 (63.42)**

**VIT: 58 (87.58)**

**AGI: 37 (55.87)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 30 (38.7)**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 68.9**

**oooo**

I had attempted to simply use my brute strength, as well as my skill in the martial arts to take down the monsters, only needing to use my Ki against the larger dinosaurs, but it didn't seem to increase the levels much.

Still, I now had twenty five points to spare.

I held off on using them— Ox-King had stated that his training under Roshi had involved a good deal of enhancements to his strength.

Speaking of the elusive Master, I had finally found his island. It was purely by chance; I had actually almost missed it, had I not been using my binoculars.

There it was.

"How the hell could I have missed that?" I wondered incredulously. Set on a small island— and I do mean small— it was a two-story house.

Its walls were painted a bright pink, with its roof painted red. On the front of the upper story, the words "KAME HOUSE" were displayed quite prominently in red.

As if to complete the look that screamed "summer vacation home", a chaise longue sat unoccupied next to one of the three palm trees on the beach.

I Observed the house.

**oooo**

**Kame House**

**The Old Hermit's Home**

**Description: The residence of the ever elusive Master Roshi, known to the world as the strongest there ever was.**

**oooo**

"So, this is it…" I said to myself as I turned the boat to the island's direction. "Half a month of sailing and searching. I've finally found it."

I approached the island slowly, carefully.

I didn't want to spook the old man. If he was as strong as the Ox-King said he was, then I didn't want to provoke him in any way.

As the ship reached the shore, I heard a creaking sound come from the front of the house as I dropped the anchor into the water.

I stepped down the ladder and waded my way through the shallow water, getting my feet wet as the front door opened, revealing a bald, old man with a thick beard and fu manchu, dressed up in a hawaiian shirt/shorts combo and wearing sunglasses, as well as a turtle shell on his back.

His appearance was so shocking that I just waved away whatever window had opened up at that moment.

_This_ was the legendary master? After seeing the Ox-King, I had assumed his master was an equally impressive fellow.

This guy, he just looked frail.

And yet…

**oooo**

**Turtle Hermit**

**Muten Roshi - Lv 50**

**Race - Human**

**Age - 319**

**HP : 25,000**

**Ki : 20,000**

**Rep : 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Muten Roshi, better known as Master Roshi, the Turtle Hermit, the Strongest Man, the God of Martial Arts, is the Master of the Turtle School of Martial Arts.**

**He is currently wondering what you're doing here. He hopes you're not some money grubbing salesman.**

**Battle Power: 150, ?**

**oooo**

What. The. Fuck.

"319." I muttered to myself incredulously.

Was this for real? This guy was over three centuries old!? How was he still alive?

What was up with his battle power? Damn, but he was strong. Did the question mark mean he could get even stronger?

I watched as he made his way to me. There was no fanfare, no shows of power. The guy just straight up walked to me at the pace I'd expect for an old man.

Completely unremarkable. I couldn't sense a hint of the power lurking within.

If I hadn't Observed him, I would have assumed that he was some old senile geezer spending the last days of his life on a remote island.

We stood like that for a few moments, until he broke the silence.

"It's not every day that I get a visitor." The man said almost jovially, giving me a wave.

I smiled slightly. "Hello, sir. My name's Ten, I'm from South City."

"South City, eh?" Roshi said, tilting his head to me, the sun reflecting off his glasses for a moment, forcing me to shield my eyes slightly. "That's a long way off, especially on an old boat like that. What brings you here, Ten of South City?"

I paused for a moment, feeling a bit nervous.

"Um, well…" I hedged. "There's two reasons."

Roshi hummed in response, gesturing for me to continue.

"Well, one of the reasons is that the Ox-King sent me here to retrieve something called the Bashosen." I started, but was interrupted by the old man's scowl.

"Sent you here?" He pointed out, tone hostile. "You said you were from South City."

"Last I heard, my former student was out rampaging and slaughtering people who were trying to steal his kingdom's treasure!"

"It's a long story." I tried to explain, but was cut off once more.

"I have time." He said, looking completely unfazed.

I supposed I didn't blame him. The Ox-King _did_ kill a lot of people, after all— probably indiscriminately, too.

The only reason I'd survived was due to my training and Gamer power.

With a sigh, I began to explain the tale, of how I'd left South City in search of further training, was attacked by pirates and forced to land on Ox-King's land.

I told him how I was forced to defend myself by killing the pirates, and was then forced to fight against the Ox-King, who'd almost killed me.

"Ah, I see." The old timer moved towards his front porch, taking a seat and pulling out a pipe— where he got it from, I had no idea. "It's rather impressive that you were able to survive a fight against my former pupil, especially considering his raw strength. You say you are also seeking me out for further training?"

I nodded emphatically.

"Yes, sir." I confirmed. "I have reached a point where I'm no longer improving all that much. Ox-King said that your training would benefit me greatly."

"And so it would." Roshi replied with a nod. "I will get the Bashosen for you."

I smiled. "Thank you, si-"

"-But I won't train you." He finished, cutting me off.

I opened my mouth, but my words stuck in my throat. A surge of incredulous anger burst forth within me, before it was totally suppressed by Gamer's Mind.

"...May I ask why?" I managed to say after a long moment of contemplative silence.

Roshi seemed to straighten up at my question, his mouth curving into what seemed to be a satisfied expression— though, I wasn't sure since I couldn't see his eyes.

"It will take a few months to make the necessary arrangements to start a training regimen." Master Roshi explained. "This island isn't meant for training in— especially not the sort I have planned."

That sounded like a good reason. I gave a nod and a short bow.

"Thank you for the opportunity." I said earnestly, trying not to let the relief show.

"Heh." Roshi chuckled, before standing back up and making his way inside. "Now, let's see. Oh, come in— Ten, you said your name was?"

"Yes." I confirmed, kicking off my shoes and stepping inside his home, taking a moment to call up the window I'd dismissed earlier.

**oooo**

**Quest Complete**

**You have found the old martial arts Master Roshi!**

**10,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 12 (12,100/13,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 3,977**

**MP: 1,924**

**Ki: 4,773**

**STR: 42 (63.42)**

**VIT: 58 (87.58)**

**AGI: 37 (55.87)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 30 (38.7)**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 68.9**

**oooo**

"The Bashosen, eh?" The old timer said as he opened the closet and began rummaging through it.

I watched him for a few moments, before taking a seat on the nearby couch.

"Where is it…" I heard him mutter as he began to pull out cardboard boxes filled with junk, sifting through them with no luck. "I can't find it!"

Uh oh. That didn't sound good.

A few more minutes passed as the old master practically turned his house inside out, with no luck.

With a loud and displeased huff, he sat on the couch next to mine.

"If Turtle was here, he could probably tell me." He said after a few moments of rest. "Shame.."

I winced. Chichi was going to be so disappointed with me. Ox-King, too.

"I see.." I said, trying not to sound disappointed. "Does that mean you won't be able to help put out the fire?"

"Ah, no, far from it." He waved me off. "There is still a way. I'll just have to go to the fire mountain and put those flames out, myself!"

"Put them out, yourself?" I sounded a bit incredulous, before mastering myself. "Forgive me, sir, if I sound a little skeptical."

"Ha!" He flexed his unimpressive looking bicep. "There's nothing Master Roshi can't do!"

"Now shoo!" He said, nudging me to go outside. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

And so there I was, twenty minutes later, squatting on the beach, drawing circles in the sand with my index.

The front door opened once more. Roshi came out, this time wearing an orange gi and carrying a gnarled walking stick.

"All right, let's go!" He said exuberantly.

I wondered how long his exuberance would last, as the boat trip would be a few days— and that's if we were lucky enough to not have to deal with a storm.

I supposed it didn't matter, I thought with a sigh.

"It might get a little cramped, sir." I cautioned the much older man. "It's a bit of a long ride, too."

"Oh, don't you worry, my boy." He said jovially. "I can get us a much better ride! Come to me, Nimbus! Baby Gamera!" He shouted at the sky.

I stood there for a long moment wondering if this guy had lost his mind.

Then, a fluffy yellow cloud as well as a spinning turtle shell came into view from the distance, flying toward us at high speeds, leaving behind a trail of yellow and flame respectively.

"What.. are these?"

"Just a few things I've picked up over the years." The man said as the cloud drew toward us, hovering in front of the old master for a few moments, right before the turtle landed, poking its head out.

"At your service." The fanged turtle said by way of greeting, glancing at me curiously.

"I need to take an express spin over to Fry Pan Mountain." Roshi said calmly.

"Sure." The turtle replied.

Roshi turned to me. "That settles that. Now, you get on the Flying Nimbus."

"Are you sure?" I said uncertainly. "I mean, it's a cloud, I'll just fall through, won't I?"

"It is possible." The man confirmed, his features turning grave for a moment. "You must be pure of heart to ride this cloud. It's picky that way."

"Pure of heart?" I repeated, gaining a nod from the man.

I shook my head. "I don't think I'm able to ride it, then."

"How so?" He queried.

"Well, I've killed people.." I said as if that explained everything.

"Only in self defense, you said." Roshi pointed out, eyebrow raised. "And, from what you've told me, you gave those men ample chance to leave you alone."

"Does that even count?" I asked, sounding unconvinced. "They still lost their lives because I fought back."

"There is nothing impure when defending your own life, son." Master Roshi said seriously, patting my shoulder. "Go on, try to sit on it."

I gulped and approached the cloud, climbing on top of it without falling through. I stared down in surprise, having felt the essence of the cloud once I'd touched it.

If I had to put it in words, the cloud felt uneasy. Why?

"You see?" The old man said, grinning. "I knew you could sit on it."

I gave a weak nod, not truly agreeing with the man. I could ride it, but I don't think it had anything to do with purity of heart.

"Could you take me to Fry Pan Mountain, Nimbus?" I asked as gently as I could manage, hoping I wouldn't spook the fragile feeling cloud.

Nimbus shuddered and bobbed down once, before zooming off into the distance, Roshi and his spinning Baby Gamera following us in hot pursuit— no pun intended.

I Observed the cloud beneath me.

**oooo**

**Flying Nimbus**

**Class: Transportation**

**Item Rarity: Legendary**

**Description: A piece of the large Nimbus cloud circling the Earth. It only allows those who are pure of heart to ride it. It currently feels uneasy, borderline frightened, as its current rider feels like pure emptiness.**

**oooo**

Yep. I would certainly _not_ be riding this cloud again.


	8. Chapter 7

Your gripes against Chichi have been noted, but I'm still sticking with this pairing. If you don't like it, that's fine; no one's forcing you to read.

Another gripe you seem to bring up is that this will derail canon. My respone: _THAT IS THE ENTIRE POINT_.

Why would I write a fanfiction where all canon events occur regardless of any changes I implement? That's called horrible writing.

Worst example of this can be seen in the Naruto fandom— usually one of those stories where Naruto becomes ANBU-level before even becoming Genin. Yet, he's still inexplicably put in a team with Sakura and Sasuke, and goes through the exact same events as canon.

That sort of fanfic is. Mind. Numbing.

This won't be that sort.

If you don't like it, you can exit this story right now.

**Chapter 7**

**Age 749, Friday, May 9, en route to Fry Pan Mountain**

The trip back had been ridiculously quick— putting the speed of my boat to absolute shame.

I had sped through the skies, the chilly wind marvelously blowing my hair back in what I hoped to be a majestic appearance.

I discarded the thought that I most probably looked quite silly, in reality.

I watched as the hermit's home quickly disappeared from view, reaching the archipelago in a matter of a few hours rather than the days it took for me— and I don't even think that was the cloud's top speed!

The thing had been so jittery and terrified of my presence that it was likely taking it slow.

My mind went over the cloud's Observe log, the system pulling it up for me. I read through the entry once more, wondering what the hell the description meant by "**its current rider feels like pure emptiness."**

Was I empty of emotion?

No, that couldn't be. I felt things; amusement, joy, anger, sadness, guilt, exhilaration.

So, what was up with the cloud?

I sighed and tried to puzzle it out. It only let the pure of heart ride it, but how did it even decide what was pure or not?

Definitions of what "pure of heart" even meant aside— how could it even reach into my heart, in the first place?

Perhaps the same magic that allowed a cloud to fly, in the first place? And, if it was magic..

I let out an "oh" of realization. Its magic could not penetrate my Gamer's Mind, that's why it found nothing at all.

That's why it was acting so jittery.

It was likely constantly sending out feeling probes towards me in an attempt to understand its rider, but it kept finding nothing, which probably created a sort of feedback loop of constantly retrying to find my heart in an obviously futile attempt.

Perhaps I should have figured out a way to disable Gamer's Mind— then again, if the cloud deemed me unworthy to ride it…

I stared over the side; that was a pretty long drop. While I was sure that I would make it— probably— falling to my doom wasn't exactly on my list of priorities.

Yes, I thought as the red glow of the fiery mountain came into view, the cloud rushing even further to the small town at its base; I was _not _using this cloud ever again.

Ever.

I'd eventually buy myself a plane if I wanted to fly that fast again.

I snuck a glance at the old man behind me, wondering how the hell he was fine spinning at such high level speeds.

Just looking at him made me feel a little dizzy by association.

Probably some old martial arts trick he'll teach me. Instantly get rid of dizziness— sounds rather grand, really.

I hopped off the cloud, sighing in relief at having rid myself of the jittery thing. Judging by the cloud's behavior of zooming right away, I guessed the feeling was mutual.

Good riddance.

"Ten, you're back already!" Ox-King's deep voice came from the only non-derelict house in the community.

The door opened, revealing the huge man, his daughter Chichi flashing me a smile from his side.

I gave a small smile back, taking in the girl's new appearance.

She wasn't wearing her usual bikini armor, anymore. Instead, she'd switched to a blue cheongsam, red pants, red kung-fu shoes and a red sash around her waist.

"Yes. I found the master and came back as quick as I could." I smiled at the older man.

He'd become a bit of a mentor-figure to me over the time I'd spent with him and Chichi, though his mood swings were quite disconcerting.

"Splendid! Do you have the Bashosen, then?" The man asked excitedly, Chichi cheering in victory along with him. "I can't wait to finally be free of the fire!"

"Ah, no. Master Roshi couldn't find it at his home." I said, quickly pointing to the flaming spinning turtle about to reach us in order to forestall any reply the man and his daughter had. "But, Master Roshi said he could get rid of the fire, himself."

Ox-King opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the old master hopping off the spinning turtle, looking none the worse for wear.

He landed cleanly, his knees bending only very slightly before standing up straight, looking the part of the venerable master he was.

"Master Roshi! It's really you!" Ox-King exclaimed as the old man continued to stare silently at everyone.

...And then, he fell over.

"Master!" Ox-King rushed to his old master, fretting over his condition while Chichi made her way to me, tugging at my shirt.

"_He's_ going to put the fire out?" She gave me an incredulous look. "Really?"

"..." I opened my mouth, and closed it again. "Yeah, I don't have a reply for that one. He _is_ pretty strong, though."

Chichi looked unconvinced as the old man slowly got back to his feet, knees wobbly. We made our way to the old master, muttering about spinning turtles and his luck.

"Here I thought you had some kind of trick to not vomiting your guts out while riding that thing." I said, wincing a little at the graphic imagery that just popped into my head— why did I do this to myself? "But you just brute forced your way through it, huh?"

"Baby Gamera -**hurk**\- that's its one drawback!" Roshi covered his mouth while slowly getting himself under control once more. "And who's this little beauty?" He fixed his gaze on Chichi.

"I'm Chichi!" She said, standing straight, her coal black eyes boring into the much older man with a challenging glare. "Ox-King's my dad!"

"Is that so…" He stared at her for a moment longer, giggling to himself.

"Master!" Ox-King knelt before Roshi, the ground shaking as he prostrated himself. "I'm so happy you came to help me put the fire out!"

"Hmm.." Roshi's features turned grave for a moment as he looked at his former pupil. "I've heard rumors about you, you big old ox! None any good or flattering! Hurting people to protect your silly treasure, resorting to even killing them— is that how you show respect to the master who taught you?"

Chichi looked rather shocked that anyone could speak to her father like that, half expecting Ox-King to rise and chop the old man in two.

What shocked her more were the words that came out of her father's mouth.

"You're right, master! I'm so sorry!" Ox-King bowed his head as low as it could go, sending out a few more apologies for good measure. "I was possessed by greed, and those men lost their lives because of it! I promise, once the fire is put out, I'll throw it all away, master!"

A long incredulous silence passed, before Roshi waved the gigantic man's words off. "That'd be an even bigger waste.. Don't throw them away."

"Still, I'm quite disappointed." Roshi said, focusing his attention on the fiery mountain ahead. "You've been slacking off in your training, Ox."

I gave the old man a strange look. The Ox-King had completely decimated me in our fight, and Roshi was saying he was slacking off?

Just how powerful would this training make me?

"It's pathetic that you can't put out a mere fire of that size by yourself…" The old man trailed off, glancing in Chichi's direction for a moment before looking back at the fire, muttering to himself in irritation.

What was _that_ about?

"I expect you to restore this community to what it was before, Ox." Roshi gave a pointed glance to the Ox-King, who had gotten back up to his feet.

"Yes, Master!" He nodded emphatically.

"And, I will require payment for this." Master Roshi added.

"Ah.." Ox-King seemed confused for a moment, before his eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh— yes of course, master. The latest editions?"

"Every month, for this year and the next." Roshi nodded, pleased with himself for some reason, before pulling his turtle shell as well as his gi off.

He made his way to one of the broken walls, the rest of us following and watching as he attempted to climb it.

"Erm…" I moved towards the man, helping him up. "There you go."

"Thanks, kid." He said, adjusting his weight so he didn't fall off.

"Can this old guy really do it?" Chichi still sounded highly skeptical.

Said old man turned to the girl in question, giving her a laugh. "Just you watch, Little Ox! Here goes!"

"Here it comes, the Master's 'Kamehameha'!" Ox-King boomed in excitement as the old man's previously thin frame bulked up ridiculously, becoming of a size with the Ox-King himself.

His body shook with effort as he concentrated with a grunt.

I took a moment to cast Observe on the man.

**oooo**

**Turtle Hermit**

**Muten Roshi - Lv 50**

**Race - Human**

**Age - 319**

**HP : 45,000**

**Ki : 40,000**

**Rep : 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Muten Roshi, better known as Master Roshi, the Turtle Hermit, the Strongest Man, the God of Martial Arts, is the Master of the Turtle School of Martial Arts.**

**He is currently about to put out the fire.**

**Battle Power: 150; ****225**

**oooo**

What was up with his battle power— powers, plural?

Did the system break? I stared at the numbers for a bit.

The second number had to be the correct one. Wait, his Ki and HP had also risen by a full twenty thousand!

He'd been holding back this much power? My barely 4,000 HP and 4,800 Ki were not even close to his power.

That was what the training did? Or was it the man's sheer experience? He was over 300 years old, after all.

The old man in question, now a mountain of muscle, extended an arm in the direction of the mountain.

A glow began to emanate from this hand, slowly encasing his entire body and causing the air around us to blow back slightly.

"It's coming!" Ox-King said excitedly.

"What even is this!?" Chichi shouted in shock.

"It's the master's ultimate move!" Ox-King explained. "He uses all of the latent energy within his body, and brings it out in an explosion of power!"

"Ka…" Roshi put his hands together, pointing them towards the mountain. "Me… Ha…" He pulled them back to his side.

"Me…!" I saw it, an orb of pure white energy forming in the space between his hands. It looked like my Ki Ball, but… It was definitely different.

The air was charged with energy, I could almost feel it with my senses.

The power between his hands was contained, compressed, sending beams of light in all directions in an attempt to bleed off at least a little bit of energy.

"**HA!**" Roshi brought both his hands forward, palms open and facing the mountain.

I witnessed the beam exit from his hands, speeding towards the mountain before the sheer light it gave off blinded me slightly.

The whole mountain exploded in bright white light, the shockwave knocking us all back.

"Holy shit!" I swore as I rubbed at my eyes, watching the old man standing there, his fingers in the victory pose.

"Not bad, eh?" Roshi chuckled as he leapt down from the wall, walking back towards where his gi and walking stick were.

I just kept staring at Fry Pan Mountain— rather, the rubble that took its place.

"Master…" Ox-King said slowly, pointing towards the remains of his mountain and castle.

"It's all gone!" Chichi exclaimed loudly, her eyes wide with disbelief. "The mountain _and_ the castle!"

"Oh, dear." Roshi laughed nervously. "I got a little over excited there! Hehe!"

"My castle…" Ox-King trailed off once again. "It's gone…"

"Ah, sorry about that, Old Ox." Roshi did sound genuinely apologetic. "At least the fire's no more, right?"

A moment passed where I thought the Ox-King would get pissed off by a comment like that but, fortunately, that never happened.

"That's right!" The Ox-King turned exuberant once more— this guy's mood swings would've been disconcerting had I not had the time to get used to his antics. "Since it'll be easy to live here again, I can just rebuild the castle, better than ever!"

"That's the spirit." Roshi said, before walking over to me as the Ox-King and his daughter move towards the castle, saying that they were going to try and sift through the castle rubble.

I gave the Master a sidelong glance, my focus shifting back on the mound of rubble that used to be a mountain. My gaze drifted down to my hand.

"I wouldn't recommend trying it." Master Roshi cut through whatever I was about to try. "You would need to be quite the adept at using your latent pow-er..?"

I smiled back at him, holding a **Ki Ball** in the palm of my hand.

"This is what I came up with when I tried to replicate your move quite a while ago." I explained, seeing his surprised features. "But yours is different— much more powerful than mine could ever hope to. This could barely hurt the Ox-King. I should know— I hit him in the face with one twice as strong and he shrugged it off."

"Remarkable." Roshi said, looking at me in what seemed to be a new light. "I know you said you survived against the Old Ox, but I thought he'd taken pity on you or something."

"To be able to use your latent power so early in your life… Perhaps you can learn to use my Kamehameha, in time." Roshi nodded wisely.

"You think so?" I asked excitedly.

"Indeed." Roshi confirmed. "It'll be a part of your training. For now, I suggest you not try to learn how to use it. It seems quite simple in theory— compression and release, but I have had many students over the ages who attempted to use the technique before they were ready."

Judging from his tone of voice, the fate of whoever was stupid enough to try such a complicated move was better left unsaid.

"I'll just work on this move instead, improve it somehow— maybe several balls of Ki at the same time?" I mused as Roshi and I went to where the Ox-King and Chichi were.

"I suppose it would be an effective way of practicing control." Master Roshi nodded before we came up to the ruined castle. "Keep to that mindset, young man, and you'll go far in your training. Oh, dear, he's at it again. That Old Ox is just too energetic for his own good."

A few chunks of rock my size were quickly being thrown over the walls.

"What a beast." I noted, still impressed at the giant man's strength.

"Heh, at least he hasn't slacked off in his strength training." Roshi grinned while the Ox-King began to clear his castle. A few moments later, the Ox-King came out, looking embarrassed.

"My apologies, Master!" He said with a bow, a small cardboard box in his massive hand. "I will get you the payment you require in time, but will _these_ do for now?"

He handed the box to the old timer. Opening it up curiously, Roshi's face went from pleasant to absolutely giddy.

"Yes, yes of course!" Roshi giggled to himself. "This will do nicely!"

Peering over his shoulder, I had to stop myself from palming my face once I laid my eyes on the box's contents.

Dirty mags. The payment was dirty mags. The venerable old master was a total perv. I found myself chuckling, the situation growing almost too ridiculous.

"Ten!" I heard Chichi's voice coming from one of ruined halls of the castle. "Come here!"

Shaking my head and mastering myself, I made my way over the rubble, broken furniture and ripped banners— this was a king's castle, after all— quickly reaching the black haired girl.

"What's up?" I asked her as she came into view.

She was struggling to lift a chunk of debris.

"Can you help me with this?" She asked nicely.

For a moment, I wondered why she didn't ask her dad to do this— as he was the stronger man— before shrugging that particular thought of and getting to work.

It took a considerable effort, but we were able to move it against the wall, revealing what was underneath.

It was a rather huge treasure chest.

"So, this is the treasure of the Ox-King.." I noted as Chichi and I carefully carried the humongous chest out of the room. The wood felt flimsy— I supposed years of fire would have greatly messed with its structural integrity.

It was surprising the wood hadn't caught on fire in the entire time of the mountain being on fire.

"My treasure!" Ox-King's voice boomed from behind me as we set the chest down in the space the man had opened up. "You two found it, great job!"

"Yeah, no problem." I waved it off, curious to see what's in it. I stopped for a moment, noticing that Master Roshi was missing. "Wait, where's the Master?"

"Oh, he went home." Ox-King replied. "He said he'd already done what he came here to do, and was eager to take his payment home. He did leave you a message, though."

Eager to take his payment home, huh? I suppressed a shudder and continued the conversation, trying to banish the image of what Roshi would be doing with those mags.

I failed miserably.

Damn it.

"Oh?" I replied, turning my gaze to Chichi as she tried to fiddle with the chest's lock for a few moments before looking towards the older man. "What's the message?"

"Oh, he said that he'd send for you when the time came. He said you'd understand what that meant." Ox-King relayed the message, before moving towards his treasure chest.

I absorbed his words for a moment before groaning. I hope "sending for me" didn't involve that damnable jittery cloud. I hated that thing.

Turning my attention back to the chest, I watched as the Ox-King simply shattered the lock with a grunt of force, opening the lid, revealing the contents within: a pile of gold, rubies and gems filled the chest to the brim.

A few intricate looking swords sat on top of the pile— obviously ceremonial implements rather than functional weapons.

This pile was worth more money than most people could have made in a hundred years of nonstop working! It was no wonder the big guy was so defensive when it came to his treasure.

My eyes landed on a particular looking crystal ball sitting on the side of the pile.

"What's that thing?" I pointed to the ball in question. "I've never seen anything like it before."

"Humm…" Chichi pulled the orange crystal ball out of the chest as Ox-King began to explain. "I can't really say. It's been in my family for a long time, you see. No one really knows the story behind it."

"Interesting… May I?" I asked politely.

"Of course." She smiled back, handing me the ball.

I looked over the orange ball, seeing that the seven stars within looked the same from every angle.

What a strange effect. Who made it?

I Observed it.

**oooo**

**The 7-Star Dragonball**

**Item: ?**

**Class: Mythical**

**Description: ?**

**oooo**

What the hell?

No item type, no description. Mythical class? What the hell was this thing?

Dragonball? Did that mean some poor dragon lost his…

If I didn't have Gamer's Body and Mind, I would likely be feeling a headache right about now.

With a shake of my head, I handed the ball back to Chichi, only for her to push it back into my hands with a smile.

"Take it." She smiled wider at the look of shock I gave her.

"I- I can't—" I said, trying to hand the ball back to either of them. The both of them refused.

"You looked quite taken with it, my boy!" Ox-King said, having noticed my wide eyed look of amazement earlier.

"You said this was an heirloom." I replied. "I can't exactly take this, sir. It belongs to your family."

"Nonsense!" The man replied quickly, noticing Chichi's face turning to one of sadness. "I would like for you to have it, as a reward for helping put out the fire. I wouldn't have been able to reach my old home if it weren't for you! Please, take it."

I had seen Chichi's expression change as well, and felt a little guilty over it.

"All right, if you're sure…" I held the ball in my hand nervously. "Then I will keep it."

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Quest Complete!**

**You weren't able to find the Bashosen, but you convinced Master Roshi to put out the fire for good, himself!**

**15,000 XP! Greatly Increased Reputation with Ox-King and Chichi!**

**Bonus Reward: The 7-Star Dragonball**

**oooo**

**Quest Alert**

**Figure out what a Dragonball is, as well as its purpose!**

**Reward: 60,000 XP, ?**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**You have leveled up!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 14 (100/15,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 4,177**

**MP: 2,124**

**Ki: 5,013**

**STR: 42 (63.42)**

**VIT: 58 (87.58)**

**AGI: 37 (55.87)**

**INT: 29 (37.41)**

**WIS: 30 (38.7)**

**Points: 35**

**Battle Power: 68.9**

**oooo**

"Now, how about a feast— we must celebrate!" Ox-King shouted as he closed the lid on his chest, carrying it with ease as we followed him out of the ruined castle.


	9. Chapter 8

**RandomLettersGuy: **The only dragonball games I've played are half remembered SNES and GameboyAdvance games. I've not played any of the Budokai Tenkaichi or Xenoverse or FighterZ. That was after my time. As for filler, I'll do it on a case-by-case basis. The entire point of filler is that it's a time-waster. I doesn't change the main story in any way. I don't want that.

One of you sort of suggested that Ten needs to be a Saiyan to stand a chance against the likes of Vegeta and Goku. My reply is: LOL.

On with the story!

**Chapter 8**

**Age 749, Friday, June 14, Central City**

Ah, the familiar smell of smog— I did not miss you.

It had been over a month since I'd left Fry Pan Mountain.

I'd stayed to help the Ox-King and Chichi rebuild their kingdom for a while— more out of a selfish want to hang out with Chichi rather than the goodness of my heart— before taking off on my own quest.

As much as I would have loved to stay, the benefits to my training had slowed to a point where I barely noticed them, and my two persistent quests were always weighing on my mind.

**oooo**

**Find out why you received the power of The Gamer!**

**Reward: 5,000,000 XP, ?**

**Failure penalty: Death. Possible destruction of the universe.**

**oooo**

**Figure out what a Dragonball is, as well as its purpose!**

**Reward: 60,000 XP, ?**

**oooo**

The first quest's reward had even changed. I wasn't aware the system could even adjust quests like that.

But, it did.

So, I went travelling.

Saying my goodbyes was harder than I had anticipated— I had trouble denying Chichi's requests at the best of times.

Leaving had been one of the toughest things I'd ever done, but it had been necessary.

I made my way through the wilderness north of Fry Pan Mountain, moving steadily northwest in the direction of Central City, or as we sometimes referred to it, King's City. This was where King Furry lived, a man— rather, dog-man— of few words.

I figured, as the most important city in the world, it likely had access to the biggest library.

This would allow me to do some proper research on old legends and folklore.

I had tried using the internet on the Ox-King's computer, but it yielded absolutely no results.

Well, other than some disgusting pornography, at least.

Of course, I should have expected something like that when searching a term related to an animal's balls.

With a shake of my head, I passed by the Central City's welcome sign, which said:

**Welcome to Central City!**

**The Heartland of the World!**

**Population: 18,000,000**

I blinked, that really was a lot of people.

I stared ahead at the sprawling landscape— nothing but a concrete jungle as far as the eye could see.

And I thought South City's 2,000,000 was a lot. This was just ridiculous.

Idly fingering the 7-Star Dragonball in one of my voluminous pockets— flashes of a black haired girl making me smile like an idiot— I wandered aimlessly for the next few hours, simply taking in the sights and getting a feel for the great city.

I adjusted my backpack as I turned another corner, hearing the sound of fighting to the side.

I heard the sound of fists smacking against flesh and tensed.

It was a false alarm, as it only seemed to be students at a dojo, meticulously practicing their technique.

I watched the students practice various moves, from punches and kicks to takedown moves, as well as grappling and dodging maneuvers.

I smiled, remembering the lessons I took with my previous master Kai.

I heard an appreciative chuckle from behind me.

"You like what you see, lad?"

I turned to see an older man, probably in his fifties judging from his losing battle against his greying, balding hair.

Quite the tall man, he would have struck an imposing figure if I wasn't so used fighting the Ox-King so much.

**Karate Dojo Master**

**Palm - Lv 22**

"It just reminded me of a dojo I used to study at." I smiled, staring back at the kids. They'd taken note of us, but resumed their practicing.

"Is that so?" The man said in interest, stroking his goatee as he leaned forward slightly. "And which dojo is that?"

"Ah.." I palmed my forehead, before turning and bowing slightly to the older man. "Where are my manners? My name's Ten. I studied at Kai's Tiger Dojo in South City."

He seemed to recognize the name, nodding to himself.

"I'm the master of this dojo." He said, giving a short bow of his own. "I go by Palm. We teach Karate, here."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir." I said, staying polite.

"Likewise." The man looked me over. "I have kept correspondence with Master Kai— we martial artists know very few people who are truly interested in the arts besides what it can bring them in life. He has spoken of an exceptional student he'd had the pleasure to teach."

I smiled at that, happy that one of my former teachers spoke highly of me.

"I take it from your expression, that's you?" The older man chuckled.

"I think so." I waved it off. "There's still much I have to learn."

Palm boomed out a laugh. "Well said! Would you care to test your skills against my students, then?"

I gave Palm a long look, wondering why he'd suggested that.

"Not to sound disrespectful, sir; but, why?" I asked in confusion. "I don't practice your style."

"That's exactly why you're perfect for the job." The man nodded.

"My students have never fought anyone outside of this school of martial arts— Karate is a very popular style in these parts. How are they supposed to increase in skill if they do not encounter a variety of different styles?"

"...Good point." I allowed, still not quite sure about the whole situation.

"Ah, do not worry, Mr. Ten." The man tried to give a reassuring smile. "You will be compensated for your time, of course."

**oooo**

**Quest Alert**

**A Battle of Styles**

**Show the Palm Karate Dojo students the fierceness of the Tiger Style.**

**Objective: Defeat 5 students.**

**Reward: 500 XP per student defeated. 1000 Zeni per student.**

**Additional Objective: Defeat 5 extra students.**

**Reward: 600 XP per extra student defeated. 1000 Zeni per extra student. ? (available only if you defeat all five)**

**Accept/Deny**

**oooo**

Money.. That sounded quite good. I still had quite a few rations in my supply, but I was sick of eating such bland food all the time.

My campfire cooking was also quite lackluster, considering the skill was at quite the low level.

I needed something nice, and juicy— like a medium rare steak with mashed potatoes. I felt my mouth water at the very thought of such a meal.

I did the math in my head, if I simply did the basic quest, I'd have enough for a nice meal.

Not to mention that odd reward at the end, there. It might be something good.

"I think I'll take you up on that." I finally said, watching as quest got accepted. That was another trick, you could voice command accept these quests. "When would you like me to come?"

"No time like the present, eh?" Palm laughed and walked inside, beckoning me to follow. "Come!"

The courtyard cleared up quickly as the master of the dojo made his way inside, standing beside a statue of a man.

The sculpture was a work of art, chiseled to perfection, depicting the man as throwing a kick at some unseen enemy.

There was a plaque at the bottom of it, but I couldn't read what it said from where I was.

"Form a circle. Seiza." Palm ordered and his students complied, forming the circle and kneeling in the seiza position— a good number of them looking quite uncomfortable as they knelt on the unforgiving stone courtyard.

Palm nodded for me to take my position.

I nodded back, placing my backpack at one of the corners, taking my shoes off and moving near the center of the circle.

Palm barked out a name, telling him to take his position.

It was a kid around my age, with an orange belt. I resolved to hold back— I didn't want to kill anyone today.

**Kota - Lv 6**

The boy grinned and sauntered over to his position like he owned the place.

Ah, so it was _that _kind of student.

I looked towards the teacher, trying to figure out how he wanted me to deal with this.

Palm simply waved me off, as if to say "go nuts."

I smiled slightly, and assumed my stance, fingers tensed and curled like a tiger's claws, feet spread apart, keeping my center of gravity low.

The other boy assumed his own stance with an arrogant sneer.

I didn't even get time to examine it, as he quickly made his way to me, throwing a punch so telegraphed I wanted to palm my own face in embarrassment.

I moved back slightly, brushing it aside with an almost casual disregard, shooting my foot out and sweeping him off his feet in one clean move, backing away slightly as he hit the harsh stone floor with a grunt.

I sighed as he got back to his feet, his face a rictus of anger.

The kids surrounding us sounded amused, but a sharp look from their master shut them all up.

The boy rushed me once more, throwing a series of kicks in the hopes of knocking me quickly out of the fight.

I dodged them all with ease, before grabbing his foot in midair and squeezed, driving my fingers slightly into his flesh.

He flinched at the feeling of pain, but attempted to kick me in the face, using his captured leg to lift himself up.

I caught that foot as well, killing his momentum completely. The boy had enough wherewithal to raise his head, placing his hands behind his skull just in time for it to hit the floor, mitigating the damage he took considerably.

Still, that must've hurt like a bitch.

I let go of his legs, stepping back slightly and re-assuming my initial stance.

"What a disappointment." Palm growled at his downed student. "If you had only applied yourself to the lessons instead of trying to brag and showboat, you might have gotten somewhere! Rejoin the circle."

As the humiliated and chastised boy scurried off back to his original position, Palm barked out another name.

And so it went. He sent student after student, gradually raising the difficulty by having me fight against his more advanced students.

Not that it really got them anywhere. My training had put me head and shoulders above them all combined.

I eventually made it to the point where I'd beaten nine of his students, meaning I was already set on making 4900 XP and 9000 Zeni.

I hadn't even broken a sweat!

Traveling the wilderness, fighting against the Ox-King and Chichi for so long— it had put me in a completely different league compared to the fighters of this dojo.

"You've truly impressed me, Ten!" The master said jovially. "To think a boy of such talent walks among us today. I have one last fighter for you to face. Are you able to continue?"

I took a long breath, and assumed my stance once more as an answer.

"Mark!" He called, and one of the nearby kids stood, taking his position in front of me.

I stared at him for a moment, his appearance throwing me off slightly.

While the other kids looked clean and crisp, with neatly trimmed hair, this guy looked to be wearing rags for clothes.

His curly hair was set in a clumsy afro style, with sideburns reaching his jaw. His lips pursed in concentration, showing the slight fuzz growing above it as he gave me a determined look.

This man was so unlike the rest of the students I couldn't help but take notice. And his level…

**Ambitious Student**

**Mark - Lv 15**

Curious, I cast Observe.

**oooo**

**Ambitious Student**

"**Mr. Hercule Satan"**

**Mark - Lv 15**

**Race - Human**

**Age - 13**

**HP - 2,600**

**Ki - 500 [Dormant]**

**Rep - 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Mark is a boy who's lived a troubled life. His father having left at a young age, he has shouldered the burden of helping his mother make ends meet, doing odd jobs here and there for strangers kind enough to take pity.**

**Recently, he's begun to make a name for himself as a street brawler under the alias known as "Hercule Satan". His dream is to make it big as a martial artist, and never have to worry about money ever again.**

**He is currently preparing himself for the most challenging fight of his life.**

**Battle Power: 44**

**oooo**

That was… Impressive.

The only other kid my age I'd met with a battle power anywhere near mine had been Chichi— and she'd been trained by the Ox-King from the day she could walk!

This guy.. He had nothing. He'd clawed his way up to earning his strength.

I watched as he gave me a short bow of respect, which I returned, giving him an encouraging nod.

He looked surprised for a moment, before his features turned determined once more.

"Begin!" Master Palm barked, and the fight was on.

Mark rushed towards me, giving it his all right from the get-go, punching and kicking at a speed and strength beyond any of the other students there.

If this had been months ago, before I'd begun my journey, he would have been a real threat.

Still, I thought as I parried his kick, its sheer momentum pushing me back slightly, the boy was a powerhouse in the making.

I moved forward, aiming to sweep his foot off, but he scurried back to dodge before planting his foot on the stone floor, dashing to me with a straight punch that went past my guard, slamming into my cheek with all the strength he could muster.

**-100 HP!**

I staggered back, dazed; he didn't stop there, rushing towards me with a hunger for blood only a street brawler could match, sending punches to any weak spots he could reach.

By the time I'd begun to regain my footing, I'd already taken another three hits; two to my side and one to my face.

**-150 HP!**

**-150 HP!**

**-100 HP!**

With a loud cry, he made to kick me again, but I was ready for it this time, dashing into his guard and slamming my body into his.

He was unable to cope with the sudden momentum I'd imparted into him as he was standing on one foot— I watched him fly back slightly, rolling uncontrollably on the stone floor until he hit his fellow students with a loud meaty smack.

"Ah crap." I swore, wincing in sympathy. "I didn't hold back as much with that one."

A moment of silent passed as the boy got back to his feet, his tattered gi looking even worse.

"Shit, are you okay, man?" I asked, feeling slightly concerned as Mark took his initial position, sinking into his dojo stance.

His HP said it all.

**1,000/2,600 [Dizzy]**

At least I hadn't caused any permanent damage. The boy tried to speak, but found himself falling to one knee, having completely lost control of his faculties.

"I would say that settles that." Master Palm called out. "Ten,-"

"No!" Mark shouted, interrupting whatever Palm was about to say. "Master, I can still fight!"

"Nonsense, my boy." Palm waved what he said off, walking to his student and placing his hand on his shoulder. "You look like you can barely stand, let alone fight!"

A moment passed as Mark slowly began to realize his predicament.

He looked at me in awe, likely having noticed that, despite his onslaught of moves, I was still completely fine, whereas he was almost completely defeated in a single move.

"B-But…" He said, before lowering his head in defeat. "I understand. My apologies, Master Palm."

"None of that, now." Palm said, patting the boy on the back. "You've done quite well, Mark. None of the others even managed to land a single hit on the lad! Learn from this moment, improve yourself as a martial artist. You've yet to reach your full potential."

"Yes, master. Thank you for this experience." The words came automatically from Mark's mouth, but it was obvious he meant every single one.

He turned to me.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Ten." I put my hands together and gave him a bow of respect. "Thank you for the match. I look forward to fighting you again when you've improved."

He looked surprised at the gesture, not having expected it. His face split into a grin as he returned it.

"I'm Mark. I promise I'll beat you next time!" He said with confidence.

I smiled back.

Who knew a research trip would've gone this way?

"Now that your overdramatic promises have been made, all of you should go back to your practicing— except you, Mark." Master Palm said, an air of amusement flitting about. "If you're going to make such bold claims, then I'll be increasing your training regimen to match. Go on, get out here. I'll have everything ready by tomorrow."

"Yes, master!" He bowed, and went to get his backpack, giving us one last glance and bowing once more as he exited the dojo grounds.

"Now, as to your payment…" Palm turned to me, nodding towards the inside of his dojo. "I have it in my office. If you'll follow me…"

I smiled and complied, grabbing my backpack quickly and following him inside. We passed through a short series of hallways, before I found myself in a small office.

It was an overly simple affair, the sort that would fit an old martial arts master who cared more about his students than raking in the money.

A few file cabinets to the side, a functional, but cheap desk, and a few small, but not uncomfortable chairs on both sides.

Master Palm went towards his desk, fiddling with something underneath it.

I heard the sound of a lock click, before a small door opened— ah, he had a safe under the desk.

"Hmm… Let's see. 10,000 Zeni sound all right to you?" The older man asked as he held a stack of bills in his hands.

"Yes, that seems fair." I nodded. "The only student that actually made me work for it was Mark. The rest were.. Um…"

"Unimpressive?" Palm finished, smirking at my slightly shocked look. "I do not take your words as a slight. They are indeed unimpressive— they attend the classes for shallow reasons, whether their parents wanted them to learn basic self defence, or whether they would like to show off at school."

I nodded, taking the stack of bills with a nod of gratitude.

"Say no more." I knew their kind, that sort of person had taken some twisted pleasure out of bullying me before I had my Gamer powers.

**oooo**

**Quest Complete**

**A Battle of Styles**

**You've taken on the Palm Karate Dojo students, defeating them with the power and skill of your Tiger Style! You've also made a friend in Mark! Good job!**

**Reward: 5,500 XP! 10,000 Zeni!**

**Additional Reward: Having defeated all ten students, you've had quite a bit of time to observe all of their fighting moves, and as such, you've learned the Palm Karate Style!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten**

**Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 14 (7,600/15,000 XP)**

**Race: Human**

**Age: 14**

**HP: 5,115**

**MP: 2,478**

**Ki: 6,393**

**STR: 48 (75.84)**

**VIT: 62 (97.96)**

**AGI: 45 (71.1)**

**INT: 35 (45.15)**

**WIS: 37 (47.73)**

**Points: 35**

**Battle Power: 81.6**

**oooo**

**Martial Arts (Lv 28 - 41%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 29%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

I felt the information flood in my brain— the basic stances, moves I'd seen the students use such as as the straight punch, the uppercut, the knife-hand, elbow strike, and back fist.

I now knew them all, as well as the kicks and blocks the students had shown me.

This ability was the most unfair, broken thing in existence.

"Are you alright there, my boy?" Master Palm said, his tone slightly concerned. "Perhaps you've worn yourself out from fighting so many opponents…"

"No, no!" I denied, coming back to reality and dismissing the windows with a thought. "I just spaced out for a second, that's all."

He looked unconvinced, but let it go as I pushed the bills into my pocket. "Might I ask what you'll be doing now?"

"Oh, um." I started, collecting my thoughts for a moment before replying. "Well, I was going to go get something to eat— like a steak— before finding a place to sleep. I've been travelling through the wilderness for too long— a bed sounds amazing right about now."

The man smiled in reply. "I know just the place— they serve the best steak in this district. As for your lodgings, you are welcome to stay the night here, as further recompense for the favor you've done me."

"Oh— no, no; I don't want to impose…" I waved his words away. "You've already paid me for it, any more and I'd be taking advantage."

"Nonsense!" He said with a grin. "What you gave me today is worth more than simple money! Purpose, a drive to get better! I haven't seen Mark this enthusiastic since his first days here!"

I stopped at his words, considering them.

"Okay." I relented finally. "I'll stay the night."

"Splendid." He grinned, happy that he got his way. "I will show you around so you don't get lost."

Thus the next ten minutes were spent with the old master walking me through his complex, showing me a few practice rooms, the bathroom, as well as a few guest bedrooms meant for traveling martial artists.

"No one's used the guest room in quite a while." Palm said sadly, frowning. "I hope you don't mind the state of it— so few traveling martial artists these days. The world's heading into a new era."

He grumbled for a few moments before I gave my answer.

"It looks great, sir." I gave him a short bow. "Thank you."

And I meant it; after a month of traipsing around in the wilderness, warding off the night chills and fighting off animals trying to eat me, a warm bed looked magnificent.

"The last thing you need to know is that we close the dojo gates at eleven PM." He said as we made our way back outside, past the still practicing students and to the sidewalk. "I trust that won't be a problem?"

"That sounds fine, yes." I nodded, before my eyes lit up. "Now, about the 'best restaurant in the district'..."

Master Palm chuckled and rattled out some directions, watching me leave his premises for the time being.

Dinner, here I come!


	10. Chapter 9

**oooo**

**Chapter 9**

**oooo**

**Age 749, Friday, June 14, Central City**

The dinner was sublime; the steak, succulent; the mashed potatoes, deliciously creamy.

I hadn't eaten so well ever since I left Fry Pan Mountain!

I sighed happily for the fifth time that hour as I made my way through Central City, asking for directions from a few friendly locals, as well as a rather helpful police officer.

"I finally made it." I said to myself, staring at the building ahead of me.

It was an old structure, starkly different from those around it, and looking more like the remnant of a fortress rather than the library it was.

A large plaque was proudly presented on the wall by the entrance. It said:

**In loving memory of our fallen brothers and sisters, we dedicate this building to all the people of Earth. May it serve as a house of learning and progress, so that we may never fall under the likes of the foul King Piccolo and his vile minions.**

**The Remnants - Age 461**

I read it over a few more times, lips pursed as I dipped my head in a show of respect for people whose names I never knew, but were probably the Earth's long forgotten heroes.

I'd heard a tale or two of the Demon King Piccolo, of course.

They had been my mother's favorite method to keep me in line when I was younger and much more unruly.

"Bad kids always get a visit from the evil King Piccolo." She would say, eyes glinting with a mix of sternness and mischief. "Never to be heard from again."

It almost seemed rehearsed, like something her parents did to her when she was a kid.

I wondered if I would do that with my kid- assuming I had one. I closed my eyes for a moment, an image of Chichi gently easing into my mind.

I shook the thoughts with a smile and a shrug, before I made my way inside, leaving the plaque and banishing it from my mind.

It was time to research!

A few grueling hours of fruitless research later, I was walking away from the building with a huff, my mood having taken a nosedive.

I'd massively underestimated how dull and mind numbing this crap was.

I'd figured, due to my raised INT and WIS scores as well as my history as a consummate nerd, that I would have no real trouble doing this.

I rubbed at my forehead, the mental drain having gotten to me. A quick check of my watch showed that it was already around 9 PM.

I'd been cooped up in that library until they'd damn near kicked me out, so.. four hours?

Four hours with nothing to show for it; the old historical records were written in some archaic form of Standard.

Thus it was illegible.

So, I needed another book to help me translate- well, for that particular document, anyway.

Seeing as the language evolved with time, a document from an era five centuries ago was quite different from one written two centuries ago.

And so on.

Of course, this leveled up a skill I hadn't even paid attention to in a good long while.

**Speed Reading (Lv 21- 93%): You're one of those people who want to go through books as fast as they can, and you've learned how to read diagonally, your eyes loosely scanning the general vicinity and direction, picking up on clues that provide context.**

**20% Increase in reading speed.**

I sighed, palming my face and dismissing the skill window.

"Four hours of this crap- and I have to come back tomorrow, too..." I muttered to myself in sheer anguish.

I palmed the money currently in my pocket. "At least I can eat well for a few more days. Silver linings!"

The sound of something crashing against metal startled me out of my monologue.

I looked around wildly, irrational fear seeping into every fiber of my being, before being leached away by Gamer's Mind.

Slowly making my way towards the source of the noise, I noticed the general level of noise rising, the sounds of a crowd emanating from the alleyway ahead of me.

I slowly turned the corner, keeping my pace smooth and controlled so as not to startle anyone there.

There was a small crowd of men standing in a circle, the sound of grunts, yells, and meaty smacks coming from its center.

A fire crackled merrily in a nearby barrel, bathing the alleyway in shades of red, orange and yellow.

"You're pretty weak tonight, Hercule!" Someone jeered as I approached the group. "I bet a lot of money on you, boy! You'd better not lose or else!"

"Shut the hell up!" Another raged, getting into the first man's face. "Armin's got this! He'll kick the shit out of Hercule for sure!"

He then turned to the fight. "Ooh that's right, give him a good kick- that's the stuff!"

I stood by one of the spectators, pretending to be one myself as I watched the fight, curious despite myself.

It was Mark.

I was almost surprised, until I recalled that this was what he probably did to put help pay the bills.

Still, I hadn't expected him to go at it tonight, not after I'd reduced his HP by more than half!

I Observed the two fighters.

**oooo**

**Ambitious Student**

**"Mr. Hercule Satan"**

**Mark - Lv 15**

**Race - Human**

**Age - 13**

**HP - 900/2,600 [Greatly Fatigued]**

**Ki - 500 [Dormant]**

**Rep - 8,000/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Mark is a boy who's lived a troubled life. His father having left at a young age, he has shouldered the burden of helping his mother make ends meet, doing odd jobs here and there for strangers kind enough to take pity.**

**Recently, he's begun to make a name for himself as a street brawler under the alias known as "Hercule Satan". His dream is to make it big as a martial artist, and never have to worry about money ever again.**

**He is currently getting his ass kicked due to being worn out from the fight against you.**

**Battle Power: 25**

**oooo**

His enemy, a grown man, easily twice his age and size, with a build most people would kill for, threw punch after punch, trying to put Mark out for the count.

**oooo**

**Henchman**

**Armin - Lv 10**

**Race - Human**

**Age - 25**

**HP - 1,200/1,800**

**Rep - 0/10,000 Disliked**

**Description: Blessed with remarkable natural strength, Armin decided he would sell his services to the highest bidder, often using the money to further his addiction to drugs.**

**He is currently confused at Mark's weakness, but still plans to put him in the hospital for daring to defeat him the last few times.**

**Battle Power: 30**

**oooo**

The small crowd began to get feverish as the pace of the fighting rose, the two fighters exchanging blows at a furious pace.

It was a savage display of raw strength and brutality.

Mark didn't fight like a martial artist, here. There were only very slight hints of the technique he'd shown during our spar.

Here, he was a brawler like the rest of them.

I watched as he shifted to the side, taking a hit to the shoulder as he stepped into the much older man's guard, viciously striking at his face.

Armin the Henchman was dazed for a moment, allowing Mark to take a moment to breathe before sending a roundhouse kick into the bigger man, laying him out.

He backed away slightly, watching as the man gripped his side, face set in a pained grimace while the men around them laughed uproariously at the humiliation they were witnessing.

"You little shit!" The man slowly recovered, getting back to his feet while Mark grinned, playing to the crowd. "You'll regret doing that."

"Will I?" Mark replied, expression freezing for a moment as he locked eyes with me.

The moment passed, and he fixed his attention back on his opponent, eyes set in a challenging glare. "Do your worst."

The two rushed each other, both snarling like incarnations of pure rage itself.

Mark dodged to the side, leaving his foot out to trip Armin, but was surprised when the older man suddenly stopped, pivoting and sending a left elbow to the younger brawler, connecting with a loud smack and sending the boy staggering back.

With a grunt of effort, Mark worriedly righted himself and quickly parried the following right hook, letting loose with a hard punch to Armin's ribs.

His desperate strike had held nothing back, I noted as the older man collapsed in agony, unable to even concentrate as the referee counted to five without issue.

"And the winner is Mr. Hercule Satan!" The referee grinned as he grandly gestured towards the exhausted Mark. "What a guy! Defeating a man twice his age and size, who would have expected anything like that?"

The crowd cheered Mark on- or, "Mr. Hercule Satan", I supposed- as he tiredly gave the crowd a few pleasant waves, the host collecting the money from the bets, before handing out the appropriate rewards to those who'd bet on Mark, as well as paying Mark quite the hefty sum.

I snorted in amusement, leaning against the alley way's wall as the excitement began to die down, the spectators visibly shedding their youthful exuberance at the prospect of going home and dealing with their partners.

One had even muttered something about being forced to watch makeup videos with his girlfriend- I winced in sympathy.

I would never wish such a fate on anyone.

"What are you doing here?" Came the blunt question from my left. It was Mark, or Hercule or whatever name he went by.

"I was just passing by and heard the noise." I replied truthfully, gazing at the worn out boy who was fixing his money into a roll, wrapping an elastic band around it and placing it into his pocket. "I didn't expect to see you fighting."

Mark shrugged and rubbed at the bruises on his face. "You know how it goes, I just love to fight."

A little white lie, but it's not like he owed me anything, so I let it go. My [Observe] skill was quite the intrusion on people's privacy, I noted.

I imagined the various spy agencies in the world would love to have a tool that was capable of discerning a person's, age, strength level, race, life story and current intent.

On that note, I could probably make a killing as a private investigator, or an interrogator.

"Yeah, fighting's fun." I agreed, moving to stand by him, poking at his likely bruised shoulder. "But so is fighting correctly. What made you break stance?"

"Bah." Mark pushed my hand away with a wince. "Keeping stance isn't as easy as it looks; plus, street fighting is a whole other world. People don't wait for you to get ready, you have to react at a moment's notice or it's all over."

Images of the pirates I'd fought, lying face down in the dirt in the forest by Fry Pan Mountain, came to mind. I hadn't taken any stances then, either.

"Good point." I allowed, seeing something in the corner of my eye. Mark was looking in that direction as well, but his face was a picture of dismay.

When I turned my head to see, I understood why. The man who'd lost, Armin, was back and he brought five other men with him.

They all carried various weapons, from bats, to bronze knuckles, to knives, brandishing them threateningly.

"Beat it, kid." Armin took a threatening step forward, making us tense. "I've got business with 'Mr. Satan', here. Get out'a here, unless you want to take a trip to the hospital tonight."

Mark tensed in preparation for another fight, but I could tell he looked dead on his feet.

Had he not fought with me today, he probably could have made a break for it, or even beaten them if he were careful.

But, as he was now, he stood no chance at either.

I put a little pressure on Mark's injured shoulder, reminding him of his injuries and ignoring the hiss of pain he gave, before pushing him back against the wall.

Turning to the group, I almost laughed at all their low levels. None of them were near level 10, except Armin, who was already worn out and beaten.

I thought about giving them a warning to leave, but I realized a few things. One, these guys were here to beat on- possibly kill, judging by those knives- a 13 year old kid who was just trying to help his mom make ends meet.

Two, they were never going to listen to me, anyway; so, why bother handing out warnings?

With that thought, I moved quickly, rushing past Armin's guard and punching him hard in the stomach.

All of his goons rushed me at the same time, completely ignoring the fact their leader was on his knees, gripping his stomach and releasing its contents.

I supposed Mark had a point. Thugs didn't really assume stances, or attack in any meaningful manner. Their tactic was to dogpile someone and beat or stab them to death.

But, I was beyond them, by far. Training against the Ox-King had given me much greater strength and durability, and training against Chichi had raised my speed in equal degrees.

I dodged the attempt at dogpiling me, leaping towards a wall and using it as a springboard, launching myself towards the group, activating **[Mana Shield]** with a thought and diving into them, head first.

**-50 MP!**

**-250 MP!**

The effect was immediate, bowling the men over almost comically, if it weren't for the devastation I'd wrought on them.

The first man's hands as well as his left shoulder were broken from my initial impact. The man directly behind him- well, I'd slammed into his chin, headfirst.

**-100 MP!**

I rolled onto the floor, deactivating **[Mana Shield]** and getting back to my feet, rushing the remainder of the men, now looking shocked at what just happened.

Two ran for it as soon as they managed to scramble to their feet. The final one tried to take me head on, receiving a few harsh punches to the kidneys for his trouble.

The nameless follower fell down, clutching at his side in agony as Armin finally- and slowly- got back up, standing on shaky feet and glaring at me in a mix of fear and hate.

"Who the fuck are you?" He snarled, spittle flying from his mouth as the fire crackled merrily in the barrel to the side.

"I don't think you need to worry about that." I replied and walked to him, smiling as he turned tail and began to run.

Not that Armin got very far, I noted as I rushed towards him, harshly kicking at his knee, breaking it and making him fall flat on his fate, his scream of pain cut off by the impact knocking him out.

I lifted the man in question and lugged him over my shoulder, turning to a shocked looking Mark.

"Where's the nearest police station?" I asked.

Mark didn't answer, merely staring at me further.

It was after I'd repeated the question that he finally answered. "I-I'll take you there."

And so we exited the alley, leaving behind the man's followers, who were still lying on the cold alleyway groaning in pain.

The trip to the station was quiet, but thankfully relatively short- a thirty minute walk.

Of course, I hadn't counted on the police wanting to question us on what happened, keeping us in for a few more hours. In hindsight, how _didn't_ I count on that?

I must've gotten caught up in the moment.

So there I was, sat with Mark in one of the station's many rooms, answering an officer's questions as another officer looked over Mark's wounds.

"So just to recap the events that happened..." The officer— Officer Lang judging by her name tag— began, looking down at her notepad. "You two were just wandering around town and the Armin fellow you brought in tried to rob you. Is that right?"

"Yes, ma'am." I replied with a straight face, Mark wincing as the second officer applied some rubbing alcohol to his wounds.

Thankfully, Mark wisely kept his mouth shut and allowed me to take the lead on this one.

"And you... managed to beat him without getting a scratch. Not only that, you've made sure that he won't be walking again for a long time." Officer Lang deadpanned, rubbing at the bridge of her nose.

"He really wasn't all that tough." I waved it off.

"Not all that tough." She repeated incredulously, but didn't say anything further.

"That guy sent two of our finest to months of physiotherapy!" The second officer— a rotund fellow whose name was Feld— said vehemently, getting a bit excited and applying a bit too much alcohol to his patient's wound, causing Mark to hiss loudly.

"Sorry." He apologized, laughing a bit too loud.

Idly, I realized that it was already midnight- I'd missed the curfew Master Palm had set for me, but gave a mental shrug. It wasn't a big deal- he'd either be cross with me, or I'd find somewhere else to sleep.

I'd been sleeping outside for a month, now. Another night wouldn't matter.

"No offense, ma'am, sir." I smiled, having expected this sort of reaction. "But I've been training very hard in the martial arts- I want to compete in the Tournament next May. If someone like Armin can beat me, then my training was a waste of time."

The first officer's face lit up and she smiled slightly. "I love those tournaments. Those folks really put their all into it, you can't help but admire how many hours they've put in their training."

I nodded amiably.

"So you're one of them?" She asked, leaning forward.

"I hope to be." I replied with a shrug. "I won't know for sure until I actually participate."

"Right." She nodded, before re-assuming her professional demeanor, giving me a halfhearted stern look. "Well, you shouldn't be out looking for trouble just because you can handle it, young man. What if they had guns?"

I blinked at the change in tone, before shrugging again.

"Then we'd be dead." I said flatly, watching as the three in the room shuddered at the thought. "It wasn't like we were looking for it, we were just heading home after a long bout of training together."

At that, she deflated slightly, but still managed to hold onto her stern look. "I suppose that's fair. We've already taken the time to inform your parents of what happened."

"Don't worry-" She added in quickly, seeing our alarmed expressions. "We've assured them that nothing bad happened, and that you're safe. Of course, traveling on your own, Mr. Ten, I think is extremely foolhardy: sailing from South City and making your way through Fry Pan Mountain and the wilderness beyond it!?"

She huffed, before rubbing the bridge of her nose again and muttering that she didn't get paid enough for this shit.

I cracked a smile at that.

"May I call my mother?" I asked. "I had planned on doing it a few hours ago, but... well..."

"Sure, kid." The officer said, getting off her chair and opening the door, motioning me to follow. "I was going to let you do that anyway. I'll let you handle Mark here, Officer Feld. His mother should be here soon."

With a wave to my fellow teen, I followed the officer out as she guided me through the hallways of the station, passing by a few envious criminals in cuffs being led to the slammer.

"Crime never sleeps, huh." I said as we turned another corner, before I was led into a small room with a phone.

"Unfortunately, no." The woman sighed. "There's been a marked rise in crime in the past few weeks, to be honest. Gang wars, that kind of thing."

Ah, that explained her stern warnings.

"Oh, I didn't know that." I gave an understanding nod as I grabbed the old telephone and began dialing.

"I'll give you some privacy." She said, before exiting the room.

I stared at the security camera in the top right corner of the room.

"Privacy, huh?" I muttered in amusement, waiting for my mother to pick up. It didn't take long.

"Hello?"

"Hey, mom." I greeted, but didn't get very far.

"Ten!" She almost shouted. "I'm so glad you're safe! What happened? You said you were making your way to Central City a month ago, and I had to wait all this time only to get a call from the police saying you got into trouble!?"

"That's.. Not what happened, mom." I said with a frown. "I thought Officer Lang explained it all to you?"

"She said you stopped a mugging, or something." My mom replied, her tone concerned. "Did you get hurt?"

I was honestly confused, my mother's tone jumping from angry to concerned throwing me off. "N-No, mom, I'm fine. Not a scratch on me. Mark, on the other hand…"

"Mark, who's _Mark?_ Is it that _boy_ you were with?" She asked suspiciously, as if implying it was because of him I was in trouble to begin with.

Technically, she wasn't _wrong_…

It still irritated me.

"Mom, _they _came after _us_." I said heatedly, anger getting the better of me for a second before Gamer's Mind squashed it. "Mark's just a guy I met at the martial arts dojo here. You can ask Master Kai about it— Palm Karate Dojo. Mark's their best student."

A few moments passed, before I heard her sigh.

"I know, I know.." She sounded exhausted for a moment. "I just… I worry, you know? I've been worried for _weeks_, and this happens… The only real conversation I've had all month is with your new friend and her dad."

I swallowed a bit thickly— not really wanting to think about Chichi at that moment. She would've been equally worried, come to think of it.

"I'm sorry, mom." I said honestly. "I didn't mean to worry you like that. I'm fine, I promise. I've even started doing the research I told you about. I was going to call you earlier, but I got caught up in everything and— well, you know what happened."

I could hear her stifling a yawn. "Ye-ah." She yawned again.

"You should get some rest, mom." I replied. "I'll call you tomorrow afternoon, when you're done with work?"

"I- er…" I could tell she was conflicted over this, but eventually her tiredness won out. "All right, honey. Just.. be safe, okay?"

"I will." I said.

"You have a place to sleep tonight?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah." I replied. "The dojo master offered for me to stay the night. He might be a bit irritated with me, though. It's late."

"All-" She stopped to yawn again. "All right. I'm going to sleep now, honey. I love you."

"Love you, too, mom." I smiled. "Goodnight."

She replied in kind as I ended the call, Officer Lang coming back inside. "I take it your call went well?"

"About as well I could hope for." I shrugged, rubbing the back of my neck before addressing the officer. "So, am I free to go?"

"Oh, yeah." She said. "Well, Mark's mother wanted to invite you over to sleep, or something."

"Uh..." I said eloquently.

"Beats me, kid." She laughed as she led me to the exit. "I'm guessing she wants to reward you for saving her kid's life, or something."

That made sense. I supposed it wouldn't hurt to hear her out.


	11. Chapter 10

**oooo  
Chapter 10  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, June 15, Central City - Mark's residence**

I stared at the woman opposite of me for a second, considering her latest question.

"I don't actually have a plan for the future, per se." I replied, with an almost uncaring shrug. "For now, I want to see the world and train hard. That sort of thing."

"But, what about having a job? Finding a nice girl?" She asked incredulously. "That's all part of growing up, you know."

I stifled the urge to roll my eyes.

Mark's mom was a very.. Quaint person.

When I'd spoken of martial arts training, she'd started talking about how the world tournament was fake, referring to it as a bunch of tricks and nonsense.

I did _not_ like her.

Thankfully, Mark had come to the rescue and pretended to be in pain, drawing her attention away from me at that very moment.

When I'd agreed to stay the night at the woman's place as thanks for saving her son, I hadn't expected it all to be so unpleasant.

It's not that there was anything wrong with the small apartment they lived in, no. After a whole month of trekking in the wilderness, sleeping on soft-ish ground and waking up to patting myself for bugs and dusting myself off, an actual bed had been a godsend.

It was just his mother, Jess, that I had a problem with.

A quick **[Observe]** on her had shown that she knew about her son's extracurricular activities, but didn't comment on it as it helped her pay the bills.

It also showed that she didn't want me here, but felt compelled to repay the debt she believed she owed me. I hadn't bothered using the skill on her the night before, too ecstatic about having a place to stay the night.

She opened her mouth to say something else— probably more 'advice' on how I should live my life— but I stood up abruptly, cutting her words right off.

"Sorry to cut this short, but I must leave." I gave the lady a tight smile and forced bow, before making my way to the door. "Thank you for your hospitality. Perhaps I'll see you later, Mark. Good bye."

As soon as I was out the door, I hurried down the stairs and away from the building, not really in the mood to deal with the annoying woman.

I checked my watch; it was still pretty early in the day, but I made my way to Palm's dojo— likely, he was wondering why I never bothered to stay the night.

It took a bit over an hour to get there, the streets being highly unfamiliar, and the directions people gave me generally unhelpful.

But, eventually I reached the open gates of the complex and walked into the familiar courtyard, where Master Palm was busy running a group of students, who seemed to be in the mid to late 30s, through their katas.

"Ah, Ten. I wondered where you were." He finally noticed me, before turning to the group. "Jon, keep things slow, controlled. You're all doing very well. Keep it up."

"Hello, Master Palm." I said, smiling. "I'm sorry I didn't come back last night. Someone assaulted me in the night; I apprehended him and sent him off to the police."

The man blinked, not having expected such an answer.

"Is that so?" He asked, looking me over curiously.

"Yes." I nodded. "I hope you weren't waiting for me."

"I did wait a little." The man admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, before telling that same student, Jon, to slow down once more. "He's too eager to go through the forms."

"Yes." I agreed with a snort. "I'm sure he'll get the hang of it with practice."

"As with all things." Palm nodded amiably, before eyeing me with a small smile. "So, how was the restaurant?"

I grinned at that. "Delicious food. It was exactly what I needed after my long trip."

"I am glad." The old martial artist nodded, before giving me a curious look. "Was there anything else you wanted?"

I laughed a little. "Ah, not really… I came to apologize for not staying the night; I didn't think of anything else, afterward. I don't actually have any plans..."

Palm hummed in thought, before making his way deeper in the complex. "Watch over these students for me, will you? I'll be back in a moment."

"Uh, sure!" I said, giving the group of much older men and women a nervous look. Some had stopped to stare, muttering to themselves about being ditched, while others had adhered to their kata, ignoring everything else in the world.

"What is this, I didn't pay the guy so that he could leave." One said, disgruntled by the sudden departure. Others began to stop their kata, distracted by the loud one.

Uh, how to deal with this… What did Master Kai do when someone acted like a whiner?

I smiled as I recalled his words.

"Now, now." I said, plastering an easy smile on my face. "Don't go blowing hot air everywhere just because you can't do the form."

I looked to everyone else. "Everyone, please resume your kata, and try to not get distracted. It's important that you burn these forms into your muscle memory, that way you'll be able to perform the moves later. Jon, raise your arm a little when you punch— that's it, there you go."

It seemed to work, as the group obeyed and continued to work on their forms, except the one man I'd chastised.

He'd taken offense, I realized as he threateningly made his way to me.

"Listen here, kid." He started, but didn't get far as I fixed him with the same kind of glare Master Kai would give his unruly students. The remaining students, fortunately, weren't distracted again, my advice having rid them of doubt.

"I'm not going to listen to some snot nosed punk tell me what to do." He said with a harsh glare. "The old man was bad enough— damn waste of my money, don't know why my girlfriend suggested I do this shit."

"So you believe you're wasting your money?" I replied in a mix of bafflement and amusement.

"What else could this be, huh?" The guy spat on the floor, breaking through the group's concentration again. "Just dancing around doing a whole lot of nothing. This isn't fighting."

"Mastering your kata is an important part of your training." I started to explain, but he got in my face again.

"How about you prove it then, huh kid?" He said in a challenging and condescending tone. "If this kata is so important, how about you put your money where your mouth is?"

I snorted, staring at the "Lv 6" tag above his head.

I supposed this would be a good way to break in the style I'd learned from the quest yesterday.

I sank into the initial stance of the kata the students were performing, beckoning the man to come get me, casting **[Observe]** as he hesitated.

**oooo  
Arrogant Blowhard  
Kanro - Lv 6  
Race - Human  
Age - 32  
HP - 700  
Rep - 0/10,000 Greatly Disliked**

**Description: Plagued by constant anger issues, Kanro the Arrogant Blowhard spends his days raging at anything and everything in existence, hoping to feel better about himself by bringing others down.**

**His behavior has caused his girlfriend to almost leave him, but he convinced her to stay by taking her suggesting and learning a martial art.**

**He currently plans on beating the crap out of you**

**Battle Power: 6  
oooo**

Okay… I didn't need that much information, yeesh.

I gave the older man a bored look, motioning him to come on, a smirk plastered on my face. He went in what I assumed to be a very poor mix of a boxer's stance as well as the standard stance for the particular kata Master Palm had everyone run through.

I didn't move, merely waiting for him to attack.

A few moments passed, with him hesitating a few times, before finally losing patience and sending a right hook to my face, hoping to floor me in a single hit.

Perfect.

I smiled, going through the motions of the kata, parrying his hook with my left hand and sending a straight punch into the man's solar plexus.

The results were instantaneous; the man staggered back and fell on his ass, his breathing temporarily cut off by the force exerted on him.

"And _that_, is why you should follow the forms." I said, looking over to everyone else. Judging by their impressed faces, they seemed convinced. "You start them off _slow_ to get yourself used to the movements, and when you get better at it, you can practice them at high speed in actual combat situations. **But!** you have. To. Start. Somewhere!"

"Well said, Ten!" Palm said as he appeared out of the complex, holding two pieces of paper in his hand. "Resume your kata, everyone. I will speak to you of proper behavior in a later session, Mr. Kanro."

The beaten man only glared at me as he went back into his group and mutinously continued to practice.

I shrugged, already having banished the nuisance out of my thoughts.

"That was an impressive use of our kata, considering you've never trained here. Even if it's one of our simpler ones." Master Palm pointed out, still holding on to the two pieces of paper. "The moves were perfectly executed, even."

"Ah, I'm a fast learner, I guess." I shrugged it off, unwilling to explain how exactly I'd learned his school's moves. "The fighters you put me up against yesterday had a common thread in their technique, it wasn't too hard to figure it out, especially seeing these students perform their kata today."

"...You have no idea how remarkable that is, do you?" Palm said. "Exceptional student, indeed. Kai was right, son."

I waved his compliments off, changing the subject. "What are those papers, Master Palm?"

"Ah, these." Distraction, success! "There's a tournament being held today. I imagine you'd be interested, as you're a traveling martial artist."

"Oh, really?" I asked, taking the papers in question. One was a flyer, which stated:

**Central's Martial Arts Games  
Come one, come all! We welcome all challengers!**

**The competition will be held on Saturday, June 15, 749, in Central Square! Come with your filled out form before noon, or you won't get a chance to take part!**

**Do **_**you**_** have what it takes to win the prize pool of 1,000,000 Zeni?**

The text was covered with drawings of various fighters having showdowns, as well as depictions of confetti flying around everywhere.

The other paper was an entry form.

1,000,000 Zeni, though; that was half a year's worth of expenses that I could send to my mom, make things easier on her. I knew that funding my little martial arts journey hadn't been cheap— she'd dipped into her savings account to do it.

I frowned, feeling something's off. "Why give this to me, though, Master Palm?"

"Hmm?" He replied. "How do you mean?"

"You must have students of your own participating in this thing, so is it really okay if I sign up?" I asked bluntly.

"Ho, ho!" The man grinned, stroking his goatee. "Confident in your success, are we?"

"I wouldn't say _that_…" I trailed off, thinking of the Ox-King or Master Roshi, two men who still far outstripped me in sheer power and ability. "The world's a big place— I've already come across a few people stronger than me. But, I think I have a good chance at winning this!"

He looked at me for a moment, trying to get a read on me and likely failing.

If my Gamer's Mind blocked a cloud of magic that seeped into your essence from sensing my intent, then I doubted a man I'd only known for a day could manage to do it.

"None of my students are ready for it, so I never signed anyone up for it." He admitted, before looking to me with a grin and a pen in his hand. "So, are you still interested?"

I smirked back, taking the proffered pen and beginning to fill the form out, the piece of paper pressed against the wall so I could actually write on it instead of tearing through the the paper.

With that done, I looked toward the old man, who was sending his students home, the time for their session having ended.

"So, um... How far is Central Square?" I asked, ignoring the baleful glare I got from the Kanro fellow as he exited the premises, a sullen look on his face.

"I will take you there, lad." The older man smiled, nodding to one of his instructors as she took over for him, giving me a mildly curious glance as we exited the premises, heading toward an older looking car. "I was already planning on attending it as a spectator- to scout out the possible competition my kids will have in the future, you see."

Unlocking the doors with a press of a button, the man entered his vehicle, stopping midway to give me an amused look, as if to say "what are you doing, just standing over there?"

I shook my head and entered the old hunk of junk. Well, old it may have been, but it was obviously well taken care of judging by everything's spruced up appearance.

Old Man Palm didn't comment on it, though I could tell he was amused by the grin he sported.

The trip to the Central Square took about an hour, with me listening to the old master speak, as well as answering a few questions here and there.

Questions such as "what brings you to Central City?" or "Will you be participating in the World Martial Arts Tournament?"

I kept things brief and simple, often avoiding the need to lie to the man.

Obviously, he wouldn't have believed a word of what I was saying if I admitted to needing to save the universe by getting stronger using powers that turned life into a video game.

I honestly doubted _anyone_ could wrap their heads around something like that.

So, I stuck to the whole "journey towards enlightenment" schtick. I'm sure he could tell that the answer was a little forced, but he would likely attribute it to me being an unsure little kid on a journey, rather than the outright lie it was.

"You get off here, lad." Palm said, unlocking the doors as he pulled up by the sidewalk leading toward the competition sign-in booth. "You just hand them the form, and someone will lead you to where you'll be fighting."

"Sounds simple enough." I said, giving the master a grateful nod and exiting the car. "Thank you for the advice."

"Good luck!" He said, before driving his car around the corner, likely looking for a place to park the old thing. I wondered why he didn't just put it in its capsule for a moment, before shrugging the thought of.

Wasn't my business.

With a short-lived sigh, I moved towards the sign-in booth, avoiding and brushing past the many people in my way.

None looked like actual participants, but they were happy standing around in big groups, ruining everyone else's time by masquerading as roadblocks.

Granted, I was likely being unfair to these people, but this was one of my pet peeves, damn it!

I really didn't like when folks did that crap; if you were just standing still, it wouldn't be too much to ask for if you stood still at the sides instead of acting like a roadblock.

The receptionist, a bored looking teen a few years my senior, who was fighting an uphill battle against acne, gave me a once over before speaking.

"The spectator sign-in booth is at the other side of the Square." He stated, pointing behind himself.

"Thanks, but I'm here to participate." I gave a tight smile, placing the form through the slot in the glass window.

The receptionist gave me an incredulous look for a moment, before shrugging and muttering under his breath about suicidal kids.

He read the form over, taking a few notes into his computer, and printing out a sticker with the number 94 on it. Did that mean I was the 94th participant in this?

How many more were going to sign up?

"Are you aware of the tournament rules?" The kid spoke as he typed at his computer, not even looking at me.

"Not really, no." I admitted. "This was more of a 'spur of the moment' kind of thing, if you take my meaning."

"Right." He rubbed at the bridge of his nose, giving me an annoyed look. "So, here's the basics of it. You're going to participate in a few preliminaries, until 8 people manage to land a spot in the Tournament proper. Then, we go tournament style."

I nodded, urging the boy to continue.

So, he did.

"There will be four quarter-finals, two semi-finals, and a final match. I'm sure I don't have to explain that tools of any kind are prohibited in the tournament. If you get caught using one, you're disqualified." He explained with a bored air. "If you win the final match, you get 1,000,000 Zeni. There's no prize for second place. You either win it all, or get nothing."

"That sounds fair." I said with a nod.

"Plus, you have to have a deposit of 5,000 Zeni to participate." He added in, smirking at my annoyed look in reaction to that.

**Quest Alert  
Participate in Central's Martial Arts Games**

**Reward for winning: 15,000 XP, 1,000,000 Zeni  
Reward for participating: 2,000 XP  
Failure Penalty: Nothing**

**Participation requires 5,000 Zeni**

**Accept/Deny**

Palm hadn't said anything about _that_. Luckily, I had more than enough left over to cover this entrance fee.

Fishing in my pocket, I pulled out the required bills and handed them to the kid who then pressed a few buttons on another screen, his motions telling the system that was an acceptance of the quest.

"Perfect." He said, finally looking at me properly. "An aide will be with you shortly to guide you to the small gymnasium where the preliminaries are taking place."

"Right." I nodded gratefully, moving to the side of the booth. "Thanks for the information."

A few minutes of dull waiting later, a rotund man called out my name, holding a clipboard in his hand and looking around.

"That's me." I got his attention.

"Ten from South City, correct?" He asked again as he approached me.

"Correct." I smiled, nodding. "Lead the way."

Moving through the crowds with a grace only achieved by veteran customer service workers, the aide guided me to gymnasium B, opening its door and gesturing me to go inside.

The sound of fighting hit my ears, referees calling fights left and right, causing many of the would-be participants to huff and puff in various emotions ranging from irritation to outright rage.

I was made to stand there and wait for a while, as there was still a little time left for registration to be over. I supposed it was a good way of managing the time— while waiting for people to fill up, they started matches in the earlier divisions.

And so, I just watched people fight each other. No one in this gym was under level 13— every single one of them, as far as I could tell, had received some form of training, if not necessarily martial arts.

I was the youngest one here, however.

"Will numbers 94 and 25 step onto the ring?" One of the referees called out, gesturing toward the stage she stood upon. "Numbers 94, and 25- ah, there you are."

I hopped onto the stage without a word, standing calmly with a hand on my hip and watching my first opponent climb onto the stage.

It was a large, bald and bulky man who was obviously a bodybuilder, judging from how absolutely ripped his muscles were.

He flexed his impressive looking muscles for the crowd, showing off the coiled strength lurking within his perfectly chiseled muscles.

Meanwhile, I stood in place, merely staring at my opponent in utter boredom, for I knew the truth with the use of **[Observe]**, clearly my most broken skill.

**oooo  
Vanity Incarnate  
Tonwon – Lv 14  
Race – Human  
Age - 22  
HP : 3,000  
Rep : 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Tonwon is a narcissistic bodybuilder whose sole purpose in life is to look as beautifully muscled as he can possibly be out of a sense of vanity and a need to brag to others about it.**

**He is currently planning on defeating you in the fight. He's happy he got paired with an easy runt.**

**Battle Power: 30  
oooo**

An easy runt, huh? My eyebrow twitched in irritation.

"And... Begin!" The referee called, slashing her hand down between us and dashing backwards to be safe from our attacks.

The man wasted no time, sprinting towards me and letting loose with all of his strength, aiming a left roundhouse kick toward the side of my head, hoping to knock me flat on my back instantly.

At least, that was his plan.

Jumping back to avoid his kick, I rushed back into his guard, grabbing his foot in the process, and let loose with a few punches to his sides, feeling his ribs creak with the impact before I let go of his foot.

The bodybuilder fell on his ass from the blow, the pain of the strike I'd inflicted on him almost completely dominating his thoughts, which took his attention away from the timer that started the moment he was knocked down.

"Number 94 wins!" She said with a grin, watching the crowd mutter among themselves about the display I'd just showed them.

**+500 XP!**

I walked off the stage, waiting for my next turn. Had I already become too strong for any base martial artists? Maybe the main event will be a little more interesting than this.

"Will numbers 94 and 102 report to the stage, please!" The same referee called out.

I took my position, watching my opponent take his, watching me carefully.

**oooo  
Kato - Lv 17  
Race - Wolf-Type Human  
Age - 29  
HP : 4,000  
Rep: 0/10,000 Disliked**

**Description: Kato is an ambitious martial artist, hoping to get his name and face out there so that his school will become famous and make him lots of Zeni.**

**He is currently feeling unnerved by your lack of presence, though he doesn't understand why.**

**Battle Power: 42  
oooo**

These guys… They barely compared to Mark, who was younger than I was. Kato could probably give the kid a run for his money, but to fight against me..?

"Begin!" The referee called out, backing away quickly as the dark blue wolf-man dashed towards me, his sharp claws extended to strike at my throat.

Dodging his swipe was laughably easy, I noted as I grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him to me while sending a harsh knee into his stomach, sending him crumbling just like the previous participant.

**+500 XP!**

At least I got _something _out of it, I thought as the referee once again declared me the victor of that very short bout.

Maybe I'd hyped myself up needlessly for this…

"Should've just went to the library. Still, 1,000,000 Zeni, though." I muttered in irritation as I hopped off the stage, hoping the next few fights weren't a total bore-fest.

Sadly, they were.


	12. Chapter 11

**oooo  
Chapter 11  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, June 15, Central Square**

"We are now preparing the main event of Central's Martial Arts Games!" The head announcer, a man who I'd seen on TV as an announcer for various martial arts related events— widely known for his work at the World Tournament— spoke clearly.

"In the meantime, while we wait for the stage to be cleared... participants, please gather yourselves up!" The announcer said, one of the aides at his side with a small jar with folded up pieces of paper within.

"What's going on at the stage?" I asked curiously as the group in which I stood approached the man.

"Some flashy show to warm the crowd up." One of my fellow participants shrugged uncaringly, flashing me a quick look as she tucked a green lock of hair behind her ear.

I gave her a nod of thanks, before the distracting voice of the exuberant announcer took my full attention.

"Now, then!" He smiled for a second, adjusting his sunglasses and pointing towards a chart on the wall, depicting a tournament bracket, numbers set on the each individual starter branch.

"I'm sure you all know how it goes, but for those who don't— we'll be doing a lottery to determine the order of the battles." He gestured to the man holding the jar. "When your name is called, please come up and pull a number."

"Ten, please come forward!" He called out.

Guess I was first, I thought as I went ahead and grabbed a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I saw my number.

"Number eight." I said, showing them the piece of paper. One of the aides wrote my name under the corresponding number.

"You'll be in the fourth battle." The announcer said, before turning to the piece of paper once more. "Wryce!"

A green-skinned crocodilian grunted and presented himself, pulling out a piece of paper.

"Four." He called out and the aide wrote his name on the chart.

"You'll take place in the second battle!" The announcer stated. "Next, we have Blue!"

The tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man wearing only a pair of pants approached the announcer and his aide, pulling one of the papers. "One." He read off, showing them the paper.

"You'll be in the first battle." The announcer noted. "And then… Batara."

An older fellow with brown hair in a ponytail and a beard, in an old and worn dark green gi walked towards the aide, pulling out a piece of paper. "Seven."

Ohh, that meant he'd be fighting me.

I perked up, immediately casting **[Observe]** on the man as another aide began to write his name on the chart.

**oooo**  
**Dragon-Style Master  
Batara - Lv 23  
Race - Human  
Age - 34  
HP: 5,200  
Ki: 1,000  
Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Batara lives for the art, training in it since he could walk. He enters this tournament from time to time to brush up on his skills, and see if the world had produced any substantial fighters he can pit himself against.**

**He is currently sizing you up as a fighter.**

**Battle Power: 70  
oooo**

This guy was pretty strong.

"Next, we have Suruna!" The announcer called out. The green haired girl from before pulled one of the papers.

"Five." She said clearly, returning to her initial spot next to me, sending a wink my way.

I snorted, still more focused on Batara's stat sheet than anything else.

"Pamput!" The announcer called out, finally managing to distract me with the familiar name.

Wait a second.. Oh, it was the action star! He starred in Crushing Fist and Silver Hearts! He's so cool!

Everyone's expression changed.

"Uh… Did I say that out loud?" I asked, scratching the back of my head. Everyone nodded in the affirmative as Pamput merely sent me a grin and grabbed a piece of paper from the jar.

"Two." He called out, before turning to me, grin still on his face as the aide wrote his name next to Blue's. "It's always nice to meet a fan, heh. Good luck on your round, that old man looks pretty strong!"

"Th-thanks, Mr. Pamput!" What the hell, why didn't Palm tell me a fucking movie star was going to be in this thing?

I stared down at my travel worn brown shirt and pants. I must've made a shitty impression on the guy.

"Smooth, kid." The green-haired woman— Suruna, I reminded myself— sent me an amused smirk.

"Yeah, yeah." I waved it off with a sigh as the announcer read the rest of the names.

Chirin, a bald monk with six incense burns on his head, as number three; he would be fighting Wryce in the second match.

And finally, number six was Rodo, a sumo wrestler judging by his garb, shape and size. He would be fighting against Suruna in the third match.

"Now that all the battles have been decided." The announcer said, already moving ahead of us and beckoning us to follow. "I'll explain what the rules are. You will face off against your opponent in a single round, with no time limit."

Each of us shared a glance with his/her opponent, before staring back at the announcer.

"You can win by knockout, by throwing your opponent out of bounds, or by forcing them to forfeit!" He continued, before stopping and giving everyone the sternest look he could muster. "Take note: attacking with deadly force, or the use of tools is strictly prohibited. Any such attempt will end with your immediate disqualification. Is that understood?"

The group grunted and muttered in agreement, some, like the crocodilian fellow looking a little annoyed at that. The door of the gymnasium opened, cutting off whatever thought I had going, as the stage in question came into view.

A large square of white marble, surrounded on all sides by bleachers filled to the brim with spectators, who cheered as they saw our group appear.

Scanning the crowd, I managed to pick out Master Palm, who had front row seats to the event. I smiled and gave him a wave, before looking around, really taking in everything for a long moment.

"Thank you all for coming!" The announcer grinned at the crowd, his suit straining against his body as he made grand gestures at our group. "Are you all ready for the main event?!"

The responding roar of the crowd hit me like a palpable weight, sweeping me away with its sheer frenzied energy and making me feel like I could take the world on, myself.

"Without further ado, Battle #1!" The announcer gestured for the fighters to take their positions. "Blue vs Pamput!"

Pamput leapt onto the stage, flipping a few times in midair, lightly landing on his bandaged feet, before sending a few imaginary kicks and punches, playing to the crowd.

Meanwhile, Blue had simply walked onto the stage, giving his opponent a mix between a bored and lazy stare. Intrigued, I cast **[Observe]** on both of the fighters.

The results were surprising.

**oooo  
Action Star, The Grappler  
Pamput - Lv 19  
Race - Human  
Age - 23  
HP : 4,500  
Rep : 0/10,000 Disliked**

**Description: Pamput is a pro Muay Thai fighter, having won a worldwide tournament in the past. He hopes to win this tournament and put a stop to some movie critics calling his moves fake.**

**He is currently sizing up his opponent, Blue.**

**Battle Power: 62  
oooo**

**oooo  
Red Ribbon General  
Blue - Lv 25  
Race - Human  
Age - 27  
HP : 9,000  
Ki : 3,000  
Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: A General of the Red Ribbon Army, Blue has unde-rg0ne m4ny 3nhanc3me-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?**

**Error, psychic interference rebuffed Observe. Observe level not high enough to compensate.  
oooo**

What the? How did he— a psychic?

He looked around suddenly, eyes narrowed dangerously in an attempt to.. Scout something?

Had he detected my attempt at **Observing** him?

I gave the man a wary gaze. I would watch him closely this match. With a level and HP like his, I had no doubt he was likely as powerful as the Ox-King.

Poor Pamput.

"Pamput has made a name for himself in a previous worldwide martial arts tournament, as well as one of the most popular movies of all time!" The announcer stated with a grin as the crowd cheered— especially a rather large group of women, who were seen waving flags and various posters depicting Pamput's name and face.

The announcer turned to the shirtless Blue. "Facing against him is the unknown; Blue! Blue is a rookie, and has never participated in a martial arts tournament, but he has proved his worth by defeating every single contestant in the preliminaries through sheer skill and power alone!"

The crowd gave the man some polite applause, likely expecting him to get creamed by the much more famous movie star, Pamput.

I now knew better.

"Let the battle begin!" The announcer hopped off the stage.

Pamput opened his mouth to say something, but didn't manage to get very far, as Blue simply rushed him, throwing a flurry of punches aimed to disable his opponent.

Pamput shifted his body, taking those punches head on but avoiding being disabled, instead choosing to grapple with his opponent. With a sweep of his foot, the two fighters were down on the ground!

"And Pamput gets his opponent down on the ground, risking a few hits in the process!" The announcer called out. "Can Blue break Pamput the Grappler's hold, or will he be forced to forfeit?"

Pamput grabbed Blue's arm, pulling it behind his back, and began to twist it in the wrong direction. "Give up, or I'll snap your-"

That was as far as he got, as Blue planted his feet on the ground, lifting the both of them from a prone position, much to the awe and delight of the crowd.

In a quick motion, Blue leaned slightly forward, before smashing the back of his head against Pamput's face, forcing the star to let go of his arm and stagger back.

"Incredible!" The announcer shouted over the roar of the crowd. "Through sheer strength and force of will, Blue has turned what would have been a quick loss into an advantage, landing a solid blow onto Pamput without looking the worse for wear! Could he be able to win!?"

Blue didn't even give Pamput a second to breathe, rushing him once again, dodging past his almost drunken swipe and landing a solid punch in his solar plexus, sending him down on the ground.

The movie star scrambled to get back up, but Blue was having none of that— he grabbed Pamput and threw him bodily over the edge of the stage, where he landed with a thud in the grass, much to the horror of the Pamput Fanclub.

"Contestant Blue wins! Who could have predicted this turn of events!" The announcer shouted excitedly. "What an upset! The favorite to win the tournament has been defeated by a total unknown!"

The crowd, minus the Pamput Fanclub, cheered wildly for the newcomer, who barely acknowledged their praise with a nod and walked off the stage, sitting near one of the walls as Pamput was carried away by what I assumed to be his agent.

I winced for the guy— I guessed he was only good for acting, rather than actually fighting in tournaments.

Or maybe that one tournament he won wasn't all that important?

Either way, it didn't really matter all that much.

I'd never even known he was an actual practicing fighter, so I doubted his popularity would tank in any way, shape or form.

More importantly, Blue looked like he didn't even break a sweat, just sitting there like nothing mattered. At this point, I had already surmised that he hadn't detected my attempt at **Observing** him, so I was probably safe.

It was either that, or he was already onto me and I just didn't know it.

That particular thought sent a chill up my spine.

"Onto the second battle!" The announcer called out as Chirin the monk and Wryce the crocodilian faced off in the ring. "Begin!"

I threw **[Observe]** on the two of them— their stats were even lower than Pamput, I noted, focusing my attention away from the fight and onto the rest of the fighters.

I felt the absolute calm of Gamer's Mind settle over me, allowing me to think clearly.

I could still win this, but did I really want the Red Ribbon Army's attention on me?

I wasn't a fool.

Everyone knew of the Red Ribbon Army— they were a force to be reckoned with. No one dared challenge them; they were so powerful and organized that even Earth's Military Forces were completely useless against them.

Think, Ten.

"And the winner of the match is Chirin through a ring-out!" The announcer's cry cut off my attempt to center my thoughts. "And what a marvelous throw that was, using Wryce's sheer strength against him at the last moment!"

The crowd cheered wildly as I considered my options.

My **[Observe]** had served as a decent distraction— I'd gotten plenty of information before he'd exerted his influence over the results.

It wasn't impossible, I just needed to mess with him during his next fight.

That's when a new quest window popped up.

**oooo  
Tickling the Red Ribbon  
"Do not tickle a sleeping dragon", the saying goes. Yet, you're brave enough— see: stupid— to do it anyway! Distract General Blue during his next match and glean as much information as you can without being caught!**

**Reward for getting him thrown out of the ring: 10,000 XP, +5 WIS  
Reward for simply wearing him down: 3,000 XP, +3 WIS  
Failure Penalty: General Blue will be **_**very**_** suspicious of you, and that's never a good thing.**

**Accept/Deny  
oooo**

I pressed accept— he'd likely already have his eye on me when I made it to the final round, anyway.

Those guys liked to get their hands on whatever impressive fighter caught their eye.

For a moment, I worried for the safety of my mother, but realized it probably wasn't such a huge deal.

My name was a pretty common one, all things considered, and I looked nothing like mom.

Plus, I never put anything in my address section, merely stating that I was _from_ South City.

That didn't really mean much of anything.

Still, the Red Ribbon were a wily and aggressive sort. You couldn't deal with them with any form of passivity; that was how people got themselves killed.

I would have to beat Blue so badly that the Red Ribbon wouldn't dare going against me.

It seemed that I would have to focus hard on my training, after this. The 7-Star Dragonball quest could wait, I thought as I shoved my hand in my pocket, brushing my hand against the crystal ball in question.

"Suruna slips through Rodo's grasp yet again, displaying incredible agility in face of Rodo's sheer power!" The announcer shouted, drawing my attention back on the stage.

Suruna was running all over the stage, messing around with Rodo as he made clumsy attempts at chasing and grabbing at her, breathing hard with every step he took.

I supposed it wasn't all that surprising— Sumo wrestlers could be fast at times, but generally speaking they were slow in comparison to someone purely specializing in speed, as Suruna was.

Granted, none of her hits actually seemed to damage the much bigger man, but that didn't really matter.

Soon, he would tire himself out and leave himself as easy pickings.

No matter how durable you were, once you were exhausted, you left yourself vulnerable to attac— and there it was.

Rodo had let his guard down for just a second, but that was all a fighter of Suruna's caliber had needed.

She dashed behind him, performing a double handed smash to the back of his neck, sending the giant man tumbling to the ground, knocked out completely.

"And Rodo is down! One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten!" The announcer counted excitedly, pointing towards Suruna. "Suruna wins by knockout!"

The crowd cheered and whistled as Suruna gave everyone a wink, much like she'd done for me earlier.

"Truly a set of amazing bouts!" The announcer continued unabated, swinging his microphone as he grinned to the crowd. "Up next is the last battle of the quarter-finals, before we take a twenty minute break to allow our fighters to recuperate!"

"Here, we have another rookie going up against a veteran of this tournament!" The announcer called as Batara and I took the stage, the crowd looking a little confused as they got a better look at my rather travel-worn and young appearance.

To be fair, the other guy also looked like shit, too.

"This is Ten's first time participating in the tournament, but, like our mysterious contestant Blue, he's also displayed great aptitude in fighting, defeating his opponents with youthful exuberance!"

"Batara, is a returning veteran, who loves to participate in the tournament in search of any fighters worthy of his notice! Will Ten's youthful exuberance outshine Batara's old experience and wisdom?" The announcer waxed poetic for the crowd, not noticing Batara's grumble about being called old.

"Let the match… Begin!"

The crowd cheered but I stayed in place, settling into my Tiger stance as I focused on the man in front of me.

The man spread his legs, greatly lowering his center of gravity, extending one hand toward me while the other was raised behind him— ready to claw at me if I came close to him.

Losing patience with the man, I broke stance and moved closer to his position, flanking him from the left in an attempt to strike at his exposed left side.

Batara turned in time to dodge the strike and grab at my foot, grunting in exertion as he pulled me closer to him, his previously raised hand coming down to strike at my head, his fingers glowing with Ki.

Eyes wide in alarm, I twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding a knockout strike, his fingers merely grazing me as I swiped at his face as, my palm slapping loudly against his head and sending him staggering back.

**-550 HP!**

That much from a graze?

"Impressive." The man said as the crowd gasped in surprise, before roaring with approval. "I didn't expect a brat two decades my junior to actually hurt me…"

I peeked at his stats as he spoke.

**Batara - Lv 23  
HP: 4,000/5,200  
Ki: 700/1,000**

"You shouldn't lose focus in a match!" The man yelled, rushing towards me, sensing an opportunity as he noticed my peeking away for a moment.

His strikes were enhanced through channeling Ki to his fingertips, I noted as I dodged a few dangerous swipes.

It was an ingenious technique; it worked like my **Mana Shield** but used Ki instead to harden his fingertips enough for them to be used like true claws, rather than the flimsy flesh around thin bone it really was.

I could tell the older martial artist was getting irritated by my lack of retaliation, but he managed to master himself and redouble his efforts, increasing the speed with which he swiped his enhanced fingers.

I messed up a dodge, my opponent taking advantage of my unbalance by flanking me from the right, both of his hands digging into to me— one in my right shoulder, and another in my left, sending me tumbling back.

**-2000 HP!**

"And Batara managed to land a devastating blow on Ten, laying him out on the floor!" The announcer yelled into his mic as I slowly forced myself to my feet. "One! Two! Thr- And Ten gets back up! Incredible! He must be the strongest fourteen year old I've ever seen!"

"You have my praise for managing to take that blow, boy." Batara said, tipping his head to me in a show of respect, before re-assuming his initial stance.

"But, you have already lost this match. My strikes have greatly hindered the mobility of both your shoulders. How will you fight without use of your arms?"

I didn't reply, merely dashing towards the man and sending a surprise elbow to his face; he attempted to retaliate, but it was too late.

The blow ended up knocking him down on the ground, his eyes still wide with shock as I went down with him, landing a knee in his gut followed by a harsh punch to his chin, knocking the man out.

I stood back up, backing away quickly as the announcer shouted in surprise at the turn of events. "And, Batara is down! One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten!"

**oooo**

**+5,000 XP!**

**Martial Arts has leveled up three times!  
Physical Endurance has leveled up twice!**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
You have gained a level!**

**oooo  
Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 15 (100/16,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14  
HP: 2,720/5,357  
MP: 2,578  
Ki: 6,696**

**STR: 48 (77.28)  
VIT: 62 (99.82)  
AGI: 45 (72.45)  
INT: 35 (45.15)  
WIS: 37 (47.73)**

**Points: 40**

**Battle Power: 83.2**

**oooo**

**Martial Arts (Lv 31 - 23%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 32%.**

**oooo**

**Physical Endurance (Lv 27 - 55%/Passive) - The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 29% Decrease in Physical Damage Taken.**

**oooo**

The crowd cheered as the announcer waved for a few aides to come in. "In an even more astounding upset than the fight between Blue and Pamput, Ten the rookie has managed to defeat Batara, a known veteran of this tournament!"

The crowd roared wildly once again, but I paid them no mind as I got off the stage, taking my place among the other fighters while I quickly read through all of the notifications I'd received.

"Let's all give a hand to our four remaining fighters!" The announcer shouted from the stage, gesturing towards us. "Ten! Blue! Chirin! Aaaaand, Suruna!"

The crowd hooted and cheered for a few long moments, before the announcer started speaking once more. "We'll resume the matches as the break is over! Our next battle shall be between the surprising fighter Blue, against the Orin Temple Monk Chirin! Who will win?"

We were provided chairs as well as water. Taking few long gulps of water, I moved my chair, putting it against the wall and relaxing into it, initiating **[Meditate]** to recover the remainder of my HP while positioning myself in such a way that it looked like I was taking a nap.

Faintly aware of the world around me, I tried to figure out how exactly I wanted to distract Blue during his fight.

It would be nice if Chirin won by a ring-out through my interference, but I highly doubted that would be the case.

His battle power put him under Pamput, his HP was nowhere near Blue's, and he didn't even have a Ki pool!

But, I could provide him with an opportunity to, at the very least, cause the man some damage— hopefully enough damage to ease my own match against the man.

Plus, it could prove to be a good test to see how well he could withstand an **[Observe]** while being distracted in a fight.

"And the break is over!" The announcer called, breaking me out of my meditation as the crowd began to cheer.

A quick check to my stats showed that I was back to full health— good.

"Will the fighters Blue and Chirin come to the stage?" The announcer adjusted his sunglasses, watching as the two calmly stepped onto the stage, facing each other, their stern gazes almost identical to each other.

"First Semi-Final Battle… Begin!" The announcer called out, and I began to focus.

Hopefully I made it through this in one piece.


	13. Chapter 12

**oooo  
Chapter 12  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, June 15, Central Square**

"—And Chirin manages to land a devastating blow on Blue!" The announcer shouted as the crowd roared after Chirin laid Blue out with what appeared to be a lucky punch to the chin.

Of course, I knew better— it was _my_ doing.

Every time Blue began to commit to an attack, I threw an **[Observe]** at him. At first, he had thrown his mental walls instantly, defending against the intrusion with great speed and efficiency.

Still, he couldn't pinpoint its source, as I never got a quest failure with whenever I tried.

So, I figured, why stop there?

**[Observe]** had already gained three levels after my attempts, and with each try, I managed to unlock more and more of his description section.

Well, I say unlock, but I was only really spamming **[Observe]** onto him until I either levelled it enough to read his box completely, or he got so mentally exhausted I could read it anyway.

Of course, this likely would have never worked, had he not been busy getting pounded by Chirin.

Chirin, whose stat sheet showed lower potential than Pamput, who had been completely demolished by Blue.

**oooo**

**Orin Temple Monk**

**Chirin - Lv 17  
Race - Human  
Age - 25**

**HP: 3,800  
Ki: 500**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Chirin is a monk from the Orin Temple who came to Central City to test his skills, as well as win the 1,000,000 cash prize.**

**He is currently confused as to how he's winning, but is completely willing to take advantage of the situation.**

**Battle Power: 54**

**oooo**

To be fair, 54 was actually pretty high, but this guy was a monk of the Orin Temple. I'd heard of that place, those guys trained 24/7 in the martial arts.

Pamput was just a movie star; at best he had a few hours of training everyday. Hell, Pamput hadn't even unlocked his Ki and he was already stronger than this guy.

I shook my head for a moment before bombarding Blue with another wave of **[Observe]**s in quick succession, slowly, but surely, hoping to erode away at his mental strength…

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General**

**Blue - Lv 25  
Race - Human  
Age - 27**

**HP : 8,744/9,000  
Ki : 3,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: A General of the Red Ribbon Army, Blue has undergone ma- GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!**

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon-STOP IT STOP IT I WILL KILL WHOEVER IS BEHIND THIS!**

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General**

**Blue - Lv ACE OF SPADES, IT IS THE MOST POWERFUL CARD IN THE DECK, IT CANNOT BE DEFEATED BY ANY OTHER CARD**

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General  
Blue - Lv 25  
Race - Human  
Age - 27**

**HP : 8,255/9,000  
Ki: # %^$%^#$^##&$%&^$%-**

**oooo**

**Whoever you are, I'm going to-**

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General**

**Blue -**

**oooo**

"Incredible!" The announcer shouted out. "Blue has taken a direct hit to the chest, just over his heart, but has powered on through it and thrown his opponent out of the ring! BLUE WINS!"

The crowd roared as I finally got a full log of his stats pop up.

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General  
Blue - Lv 25  
Race - Human  
Age - 27**

**HP : 7,744/9,000  
Ki : 3,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: A General of the Red Ribbon Army, Blue has undergone many bodily and mental enhancements to increase his strength and speed, as well as grant him a limited form of Telekinesis.**

**He is unsure of the limits to his potential, so he decided to participate in Central City's Martial Arts Games in order to see where he stands among the world's strongest fighters.**

**He is currently livid and afraid, because he still cannot pinpoint the source of the mental attack.**

**Battle Power: 105**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
After finally winning a mental battle equivalent to smashing a toddler with a sledgehammer repeatedly until it let go of its candy, you have gained +3 INT!**

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!  
Tickling the Red Ribbon**

"**Do not tickle a sleeping dragon", the saying goes. Yet, you brought a jackhammer and rammed it into the dragon's ear-hole— and it worked! You've gained pertinent information on the Red Ribbon Army!**

**Reward for wearing Blue down: 3,000 XP, +3 WIS!**

**oooo  
Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 15 (3,100/16,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 5,357  
MP: 2,765  
Ki: 6,696**

**STR: 48 (77.28)  
VIT: 62 (99.82)  
AGI: 45 (72.45)  
INT: 38 (49.02)  
WIS: 40 (51.6)**

**Points: 40  
Battle Power: 83.2  
oooo**

"That was an exciting bout!" The announcer stated as Chirin sullenly made his way back to the stage, giving General Blue a strained bow before being led away by the aides towards the gymnasium, held head high.

I paid him little mind, merely examining all of my notifications, before dismissing them with a nod, and focusing my attention back on Blue.

His muscles were still tightly coiled, ready to strike at any who get in his path. The announcer beside him seemed to be completely oblivious to this, as he got the crowd to cheer multiple times for the blond experimental soldier.

Experimental soldier— what the hell was Red Ribbon thinking?

How much power did these guys want!? Was it not enough that their name was spoken in fear far and wide? What was their purpose?

**oooo**

**Quest Alert  
"Red Ribbon of Blood and Death" forcibly initiated**

**Figure out what the Red Ribbon Army is after, and if necessary, stop them.**

**Reward: ?, ?, ?  
Failure Penalty: Death.**

**oooo**

Okay, game. Thank you.

I sighed in irritation as Blue stepped off the stage, his wide eyes still scanning his surroundings until they landed on me for a long moment, scrutinizing me intently.

For a moment, I thought the jig was up, but he shifted his gaze elsewhere, brushing past me almost uncaringly.

"With Blue winning his Semi-Final, only two matches remain in the tournament!" The announcer grinned, pointing towards me and Suruna. "We shall now begin the battle between Ten, and Suruna! Please take your position on the stage!"

The two of us slowly made our way on stage, assuming our position with little fanfare as the crowd's cheers began to die down while the tension in the air built.

Not that it really affected me. **[Gamer's Mind]** really was an unfair skill, I thought as I watched Suruna try to hype herself up, adjusting her white dougi and dark green hakama.

I stared at her for a moment, before using **[Observe]**.

**oooo**

"**Suruna"  
Minako - Lv 22  
Race - Human  
Age - 19**

**HP: 4,800  
Ki : 1,950  
Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: "Suruna" grew up in an all-girl's school and grew to value Kenpo's and Aikido's techniques after watching a few professional matches when she was a little girl.**

**She set out to prove that she, as a girl, could also practice these styles, training day and night to reach the strength and skill required to compete with the pros.**

**She currently is planning on fighting you all out, despite thinking you're a cute kid.**

**Battle Power: 72**

**oooo**

She pulled at her bracers, taking a few moments to adjust them before giving me a respectful bow, which I returned.

"Will Ten, our young rookie manage to earn himself another victory, or will Suruna win this bout!?" The announcer paused for a moment. "Let's find out! You may… Begin!"

I sank into my Tiger Stance, eyeing Suruna- or should I be calling her Minako- intently.

In response, she assumed her own stance, her feet firmly planted on the ground with both hands extended, hands open and waiting for me to make the first move.

I wondered for a moment why she didn't do this against the Sumo wrestler in her previous match, but I figured she wanted to conserve energy- plus, beating on a Sumo fighter would have probably led her nowhere fast.

It was a bit of a reach, but her expertise would probably be in grappling, which was less about strength and more about speed and reaction times to allow for effective countering.

Of course, I didn't actually know what the Aikido moves actually were, so it was safe to assume that her stance was some form of trap.

But, even knowing this, there was no real way for me to counter it. Technically, I could start blasting her with Ki Balls until she was beaten, but that idea was foolishness itself.

General Blue's Battle Power was even higher than mine, and I had no intentions to show him my abilities before our match, unless there was no other choice.

With that thought in mind, I approached Suruna at high speed, deciding to test her defenses out and try and find an opening.

I started with a series of feints, stopping my attacks a mere instant before I fully committed into them in order to see her reaction.

She did not move a single muscle for any of them.

That was... Odd.

"Astounding!" The announcer shouted at his microphone. "Ten has been testing his opponent's defenses, but Suruna has responded by not reacting at all! Could it be that she's frozen with fear?"

As the crowd roared, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that.

Frozen with fear? She'd perfectly read all of the visual cues my body gave off when it was attacking and then suddenly not.

This is exactly why I didn't want to show my hand, here. I bet that General Blue could do the same thing "Suruna" was currently doing. The question was, could I do the same thing?

Throwing caution to the wind, I struck at her neck, hoping to quickly knock her out of the fight. She smirked, catching my strike with ease, her fingers digging into my forearm with great force.

She twisted her body, using her strong stance as well as the momentum generated from my strike to lift me off the floor and above her head, before she slammed me down, hard.

**-300 HP!**

I was stunned from the blow, slowly regaining my senses as I tried to get back to my feet. But, Suruna wasn't down, following her takedown move by kneeling down to me and smashing her right fist into my stomach, followed by my chin.

**-550 HP!**

**-700 HP!**

The extra pain was enough to galvanize me into action, snatching her right hand as it attempted to strike me a third time, pulling her down to me and socking her hard in the temple, laying her out on her back, the announcer shouting all the while.

I rose as the crowd roared in approval at the brutality we'd both shown, dusting myself off before standing at the ready.

"And Ten manages to come back into the fight, by laying out his opponent in a single, but highly devastating punch!" The announcer commentated, beginning the count. "One! Two! Th- And Suruna gets back up, looking hurt but with a determination to remain in the fight! Truly an inspiration to any of our audience."

A quick check at my HP bar showed that it was down to 3,807. That punch I managed to land on Suruna's face had done a surprising amount of damage— but then again, strikes to the temple were known to be lethal.

**oooo  
"Suruna"  
HP: 3,900/4,800  
Ki : 1,400/1,950  
oooo**

I'd done 900 damage in a single shot? Her Ki was down 550, as well. Had she been using it to defend herself? I watched her settle back into a stance, a bruise quickly forming on her right temple.

Attacking her head on would just put me in her range once again. Loathe as I was to admit it, I had no real idea on how to counter her grabs, aside from what was obvious.

Neither my Tiger Style, nor my recently acquired Palm Karate Style informed me of any way I could deal with her moves— save by outright overpowering her.

The problem was, that would open up a whole new set of problems, as she could simply wail on me as I attempted to move out of a grab. Or, possibly breaking my own limbs as I attempted to escape her grasp.

No, fighting her close range wouldn't do.

But, then again… An idea began to form in my mind as I clenched my fist for a moment, running the math through my head, before nodding with a grin and rushing towards my opponent.

"What's this!?" The announcer shouted. "It seems as though Ten has abandoned his fighting position and is attempting to attack Suruna head on! Has he not learned from his previous mistake!?

I ignored the announcer as I made feint after feint, making her think I was trying the same tactics, slowly luring her into my trap. Judging by the slowly forming smirk on her face, it was probably working.

Then, I committed into a roundhouse kick, watching her grab my foot, the impact making her grunt with force as she held my leg at bay.

Perfect.

**-1,200 Ki!**

"**Ha!"** My Ki burst forth, smashing into Suruna's chest with great force and sending her flying off of the stage, smashing into the wall before dropping onto the ground like a ragdoll.

Silence met this turn of events for a long moment, the crowd looking somewhat confused as to what happened.

"Incredible!" The announcer broke through the silence. "Rookie Ten blew his opponent away out of the ring! I haven't seen a move like this for a long time! He truly is a prodigy!"

Many in the crowd gained a look of understanding and began to cheer, the rest of the sheep following along with them. I snuck a glance to Master Palm; he looked outright astonished at what he'd just seen.

I snorted. This wasn't even really all that much. I'd trained pretty extensively with my **[Ki Ball]**.

**oooo  
Ki Ball (Lv 30 - 83%/Active): Since time immemorial, living creatures have learned to harness their life energy and bring it to the surface. The Ki Ball is the most basic of techniques.  
It has a base cost of 300 Ki and deals 700 damage. Further damage will require more Ki, at the same ratio of cost. Note that the Ki Ball will become larger and slower the more Ki you inject into it.  
oooo**

The skill had gained so much concussive that I didn't even need to use **[Ki Concussion] **anymore. I watched the aides put "Suruna" on a stretcher, throwing an **[Observe]** on her just to be sure I didn't hurt her too much.

As I expected, it seemed that she was able to use her Ki to shield herself, exactly the way I did with my MP. I'd have to figure that trick out after this tournament.

I walked off the stage and sat on the ground by one of the walls, closing my eyes and initiating **[Meditation]**, hearing the announcer state that the final match would take place in twenty minutes.

"That was an impressive move you did, boy." A voice interrupted me a few minutes later. I opened my eyes to see my opponent standing in front of me.

His face was set in a strange mix between respect and wariness, like he wasn't really sure what to make of me. "Tell me, how did you manage to reach such level of strength?"

I stared at him for a long moment, before shrugging and getting back to my feet. I still had to look up, though

"I just trained my ass off, did lots of meditation." I gave him a somewhat truthful answer, checking my HP and Ki bars and running the numbers through my head. I'd be healed to full in the remaining time— or very close to it.

I was curious to see what his current stats were— the damage he'd taken from Chirin seemed to be completely gone, already. Was that another part of his acquired powerset?

"All the more impressive, then." Blue praised, looking me up and down as if studying me intently, before turning and walking away. "May the best man win."

"..Right. Sure." I replied half-heartedly, quickly pulling up the **[Observe]** log I had on him; no mention of regeneration. But, then again, he didn't know his own limits.

There was no way to tell.

All too quickly, the moment to begin the final match came, and the announcer began to hype the crowd up, the tension in the air rising higher and higher, until it was an almost palpable sensation.

"Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen?" The crowd roared in a frenzied response to the announcer's question. "It's time for the final showdown! I don't know about you folks, but seeing these two fighters has been an absolute delight! Please, make your way onto the stage, gentlemen!"

Yes, I thought as I got onto the stage. There was no way to tell, but I realized I simply didn't care.

The unknown aspect of it, it excited me somehow, in a way I didn't really understand.

"These two fighters were not even expected to reach the semi-finals; but, time and again, they have shown us that they are just full of surprised!" The announcer gestured towards Blue. "Blue, the powerhouse, taking his opponents' hits without flinching and sending them packing!"

Then, the announcer turned to me. "Ten, the prodigy who managed to beat veteran contestant Batara, as well as the mysterious Suruna, both fighters decades his senior!"

"Who will win, and be declared champion of Central's Martial Arts Games!?" The announcer looked between the two of us as we settled into our stances, before jumping off the platform and shouting "Begin!"

Neither of us wasted any time, rushing towards one another without any fanfare.

"My god!" The announcer shouted as I reached the older man, ducking under his punch and throwing my own towards his midsection. "It seems our fighters have engaged in high speed combat right from the get go!"

The strike missed, Blue having leaped back to avoid it, before rushing to me, elbow ready to strike at my face.

I raised my arms to block the strike, feeling his elbow impact against my forearms with great force, sending me skidding back slightly.

**-550 HP!**

Ignoring the slight pain as well as the announcer going crazy at our exchange, I moved my left arm just in time to intercept Blue's follow-up right hook, sending my own right back at him.

My fist collided with his solar plexus, taking the breath out of him and giving me enough time to raise his right arm and plunge my fingers under his armpit, hearing the crowd hiss in shock at the brutality I was showing.

I made to continue, but didn't take into account the man retaliating with a harsh knee to my ribs, sending me staggering back and falling on my ass while he fell to his knees, both of us trying to cope with the pain we'd just inflicted on each other.

**-1,400 HP!**

"Both fighters are down!" The announcer shouted as the crowd cheered in delight at what they were witnessing.

"The sheer speed, skill and brutality each of them showed is astonishing! But, will they be able to get back on their feet before the count hits ten? One! Two! Three! Four! Fi-" He paused for a moment as Blue got back to his feet, staring at me, fire in his eyes. "-ve! Six! Seven!"

I forced myself up, the pain having finally dulled down to manageable levels.

This guy hit even harder than Ox-King! Enhanced strength, indeed.

"Ten has risen to his feet!" The announcer shouted, the excitement completely sweeping him away. "This is easily one of the most show-stopping fights I've had the pleasure to witness!"

Blue attacked without warning, leaping high into the air and coming down, leg extended in a gravity assisted drop kick.

I jumped to the side, avoiding the strike as it smashed into the floor, shattering it with ease.

I lashed at his unprotected side with a kick, but he took the blow head on, holding onto my leg and raising his hand, bringing down on my kneecap in the hopes of snapping my leg.

Shit! I called up my **[Mana Shield]** as fast as I could, taking his multiple strikes and feeling my MP deplete quickly.

**-50 MP!**

**-700 MP!**

**-700 MP!**

**-700 MP!**

Extending both hands, I drew forth my Ki.

**-1800 Ki!**

"**Ha!**" Much like with Suruna, the **[Ki Ball]** slammed into Blue's body with great force, exploding on impact and sending him flying back.

I fell down on my ass, cradling my leg as I dispelled my **[Mana Shield]**, watching in shock as the man recovered from the hit, his own body glowing faintly blue with energy.

He twisted himself in mid-air, reducing his momentum by dropping onto the stage floor in a well-practiced roll, standing very close to the edge of the ring.

I quickly got back to my feet, **[Gamer's Body]** working overtime as it tried to slowly crush the sensation of pain into a background noise.

A quick check of my stats showed some scary results:

**oooo  
HP: 3,450/5,357  
MP: 614/2,765  
Ki: 4,896/6,696  
oooo**

Holy crap, if I hadn't thrown him off me, that match would have already been lost.

Though, with the amount of Ki I had just blasted into him..

That much amounted to 4,200 damage! Not to mention the strikes I'd landed on him before— he had to be approaching his limit, just like I was.

Indeed, as the blue glow around him faded, his body began to shake, the wounds I've inflicted on him over the course of the match beginning to take their toll.

To the normal eye, it would have been unnoticeable; the involuntary muscle spasms, the rising and falling of his chest, among other things.

He stood tall, fierce and proud, but I could tell our exchanges had hurt him.

As if on cue, I winced, the agony in my knee making itself known as my knee throbbed.

I grit my teeth and put more pressure on it as I took a deep breath, the pain continuing to fade as I prepared to charge towards him once more.

The announcer went crazy as we once again dashed towards one another to engage in high speed melee. I stopped my charge, sidestepping a straight kick, trying to move closer to him.

However, Blue saw my intent, his face set into a determined grimace as he pivoted, turning his straight kick into a roundhouse that knocked me aside, but not much else.

**-300 HP!**

A relatively weak strike, only meant to delay me, I thought as shifted his stance slightly, sending a punch right at my face.

I responded by taking a page from Suruna's book, grabbing Blue's offending forearm and lifting him with a shout of effort before slamming his body onto the ring harshly.

Blue was glowing as he smashed into the floor, cringing in pain at the impact, but quickly retaliating by sending a kick to my face.

I moved to dodge or to activate **[Mana Shield]**, only to find that I couldn't do either!

**You have been afflicted with [Paralysis]. Duration: 0.5 seconds.**

The notification had popped up on the side as I took the kick to the head, tumbling to the right with the force of the impact, crumbling onto the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

**-2,300 HP!**

I heard the announcer shouting something or the other, but I groaned as the de-buff faded, slowly getting back to my feet, while my opponent stayed down.

Faintly, I realized the announcer was counting.

"—Seven! Eight! Nine!" Blue was stirring, trying to get up. "Ten! Contestant Ten has won the match! Ten has won Central's Martial Arts Games!"

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**For enduring two beatdowns in quick succession, your Physical Endurance has gained five levels!**

**Physical Endurance (Lv 32 - 25%/Passive) - The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken. 34% Decrease in Physical Damage Taken.**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Martial Arts has leveled up six times!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 37 - 54%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 38%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!  
You have won Central's Martial Arts Games!**

**15,000 XP!  
1,000,000 Zeni! (To be received from an aide)**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**You have leveled up!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 16 (2,100/17,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 1,595/5,750  
MP: 780/2,865  
Ki: 5,130/7,187**

**STR: 48 (80.18)  
VIT: 62 (103.54)  
AGI: 45 (75.15)  
INT: 38 (49.02)  
WIS: 40 (51.6)**

**Points: 45  
Battle Power: 86.3**

**oooo**

I'd won the battle of attrition, I realized. He had more health than me, but I had the damage required to bring him low enough to not be able to move for a while.

I quickly skimmed through the notifications, dismissing them as the crowd cheered and whistled at Blue, who slowly got back to his feet, pushing an aide away as he walked towards me, extending his hand.

I stared at it for a moment, before shaking it firmly, the crowd cheering even louder at the sight.

"Truly a sight to behold, these two fighters who have been almost completely consumed by battle are now shaking hands in a show of true sportsmanship! This is what martial arts is all about!" The announcer praised with a grin.

A smile wormed its way on my face. "That was one of the toughest fights I've ever been in." I said honestly.

"Mine, as well." He grinned back, letting go of my hand in order to grab at his side. An aide rushed toward him, gently guiding him off the ring.

"Wait." Blue stopped the aide, before turning to me. "We will meet again, Ten. Count on it."

I frowned and slipped away from an aide, watching as Blue was led away into the gymnasium, and out of sight.

"Feh. 'We will meet again', he says." I scoffed, but couldn't shake the slight feeling of unease that blossomed within me.

It was probably going to happen.


	14. Chapter 13

**oooo  
Chapter 13  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, June 15, Central City, Palm Dojo**

"So… When _exactly_ were you going to tell me you were signing up for a tournament?" My mother's voice was clipped. "Why did I have to hear about it from _Kai_?"

"Just now, mom." I said nervously, adjusting the phone slightly to hear her better. "It was a spur of the moment thing, I didn't even know there was one going on until Master Palm came out with the forms."

"Oh." She said, her momentum halted. "Still! You could have called me beforehand!"

She raised a good enough point, I thought with guilt on my mind.

"Sorry, mom." I said, meaning it. "I just thought, since I was going to call you in the afternoon, that I wouldn't do it twice… I won, though!"

"Yes, yes you did." She replied in a deadpan voice, before muttering something about obstinate kids and how they'd be the death of her. I frowned at the wording, the encounter with Blue heavy in my mind.

Idly, I wondered if the Red Ribbon Army would try some shit with me, before shrugging the thought off. While what the older man had said was a little concerning, there was no reason for them to make an enemy out of me like that.

Hell, he seemed downright friendly, so I'd probably be looking at a recruitment attempt, if anything.

Though, I had no idea how they'd go about it. Would they simply make a friendly approach, or would they try to force me?

The thought of my mother held captive in a dark room while some pencil pushing executive in Red Ribbon ordered me around almost made me crush the phone in my grip, but I held my feelings at bay.

"I'll be coming home soon, mom. I still have to research something here, but I'm coming back as soon as I can manage." I promised.

"Aw, do you miss your mommy that badly? That's so sweet of you, Ten!" I could tell she was smiling at the other end of the line. I snorted reflexively at the very thought.

"That's me. Sweet." I replied sarcastically. "Totally."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you, dear." Mother said in amusement. "Besides, I'm not the only one who thinks you're sweet."

"Huh?" I said, feeling a little confused. "What do you mean, mom?"

"Well, I have it on good authority that you're a very sweet, and caring boy." She said slyly. "Or, are you saying that Chichi is wrong?"

I felt the heat creep over my cheeks, and opened my mouth to reply— only for nothing to come out.

Why'd she have to bring Chichi up?

"I, uh…" I said intelligently.

"Uh huh." My mom replied, her tone smug. "I thought so. So, when are you bringing her over? I'd like to meet the girl that actually made my little boy finally break out of his shell! Talking to her on the phone from time to time is nice, but I want you to bring her with you when you come back!"

"... Busy now, gotta go, bye!" I said quickly, hearing my mother's laughter as I hung up the phone as quickly as I could.

I stared at the phone for a long moment.

What. The. Hell.

**oooo  
Quest Alert  
Bring Her Home To Mom**

**The dream girl; she's responsible, reliable and has outstanding moral fiber. She's intelligent, witty and has class. She's beautiful, but never cheap or scandalous. And, she can kick your ass if you're not careful!**

**So, how about you take her to South City to meet your mother?**

**Reward: Incredibly increased Rep with your mother, Ox-King and Chichi.  
Failure Penalty: Decreased Rep with your mother, Ox-King and Chichi. Incessant nagging from mom to meet her.**

**Accept/Deny  
oooo**

Seriously, game? Can we not, right now?

I _was _going to call Chichi, but at that moment, I couldn't handle it.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Friday, June 28, Central City Archive**

I'd gone through the _entire_ historical section, but I finally managed to get information on the 7-Star Dragonball.

My **[Speed Reading]** level had gone through the roof due to massively grinding the skill while researching.

**oooo**

**Speed Reading (Lv 41- 3%/Passive): You're one of those people who want to go through books as fast as they can, and you've learned how to read diagonally, your eyes loosely scanning the general vicinity and direction, picking up on clues that provide context.**

**40% Increase in reading speed.**

**oooo**

It was odd, though. The information had been presented in such a scattered and confusing way.

In one book from three centuries ago, the Dragonballs were mentioned as if it were a given that people knew what they were— and so, no definition was presented.

So, I went further back, only to find no mention whatsoever of them.

Unwilling to give up, I delved further and further, devouring book after book, my INT having risen a decent amount.

Point is, I had finally found it; a document within one of the older books in the library's collection. Translating it had become ridiculously easy after the amount of practice I'd had.

Roughly speaking, it said:

Whosoever gathered all seven Dragonballs could speak the words and call forth the Dragon of legend, Shenron, to grant the summoner one wish.

I sat back in my chair, the librarian passing me with an annoyed look sent my way. I ignored it, the guy apparently didn't like people messing around with old books— and I wasn't being particularly gentle with them, I admitted.

**oooo  
Quest complete  
The Dragon's What?**

**60,000 XP!  
+5 INT!  
oooo**

**Ping!**

**You have leveled up three times!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 19 (13,300/20,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 6,050  
MP: 4,314  
Ki: 7,865**

**STR: 48 (80.18)  
VIT: 62 (103.54)  
AGI: 49 (81.83)  
INT: 54 (69.66)  
WIS: 45 (58.05)**

**Points: 60  
Battle Power: 88.5**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
Due to your INT reaching 50, you have gained the following skill!**

**Magic Affinity I: 10% Increase to MP. 10% Increase to Magic Damage.**

**oooo**

I stared at the window for a second, momentarily distracted by the new skill. My eye focused on my stats for a second— they were all so close to 50.

I had wanted to wait until after I'd trained with Master Roshi, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to put a few points and get all of my stats at least to 50.

A measly 2 STR increase would likely not hurt my training.

And so, I assigned the points— 2 into STR, 1 into AGI, and 5 into WIS.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 19 (13,300/20,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 6,845  
MP: 4,976  
Ki: 8,712**

**STR: 50 (83.5)  
VIT: 62 (103.54)  
AGI: 50 (83.5)  
INT: 54 (69.66)  
WIS: 50 (64.5)**

**Points: 52  
Battle Power: 90.2**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
Due to having increased your STR to 50, you have gained the following skill!**

**Fighter I: All Physical Damage increased by 10%. Ki strikes do 10% more damage!**

**oooo**

**Due to your AGI reaching 50, you have gained the following skill!**

**Quickness I: 10% Increase to overall movement speed.**

**oooo**

**Due to your WIS reaching 50, you have gained the following skill!**

**Wise One I: 5% Decrease to Magic Damage received. MP Regen is now at 1%/min!**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**For raising every stat to 50, you have gained the following skill!**

**All-Rounder I: 10% Increase to HP/MP/Ki. 5% Increase to overall movement speed. 5% Increase to overall damage.**

**oooo**

Holy… With a stat sheet and skills like that, I would've had a much better time fighting against Blue. I might've not even needed to wear him down, beforehand!

I shook my head and dismissed all of the windows that had popped up, focusing back on what had given me all these level-ups, in the first place.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the 7-Star Dragonball, casting **[Observe]** on it.

**oooo**

**The 7-Star Dragonball**

**Item: Wish-granting Ball  
Class: Mythical**

**Description: Referred to as the 7-Star Dragonball due to the number of stars engraved within it, this Dragonball is the final part in a set of seven, used to summon Shenron the Eternal Dragon, so that it can grant the summoner one wish.**

**oooo**

I nodded, having expected the item description to change after all that research. Still, I thought as I stared at the orange ball.

_Any_ wish I wanted?

This thing was probably more broken than my Gamer powe— that's it! I could gather all seven and wish for the dragon to reveal the secret behind my power!

That way, I can finally understand why I got this thing.

**oooo**

**Quest Alert  
Twenty Questions— Well, More Like One**

**You learned what the Dragonballs are capable of accomplishing when you gather all seven. Yet, in your infinite wisdom, you've decided you want to gather these magic wish-granting balls to ask the Eternal Dragon a question, rather than wishing for, say… a billion Zeni.**

**Reward: ?  
Failure penalty: Nothing.**

**Accept/Deny**

**oooo**

My mouth quirked as I pressed on Accept, the quest window disappearing, leaving me to my thoughts in the quiet library.

A quick check of the time told me that I was set to meet with Mark in about forty five minutes.

I closed the book, and returned it to its proper position, the librarian giving me a dirty look as I put it in its proper place.

I rolled my eyes, resisting the urge to wave jauntily at the guy, simply exiting the premises as fast as I could.

I closed my eyes slightly, adjusting to the sunlight shining down on me.

Before I gained my powers, if you'd asked me if I enjoyed the feeling of the sunlight against my skin or the gentle caress of the breeze, I would have replied with an emphatic "no".

Now, I luxuriated in the feeling.

I stared at the endless sky above me, a light blue with a few fluffy blobs of light gray, gently making their way into the horizon.

Who knew real life could be so fun?

I ended up running late to the meeting with Mark, but he was too busy exercising to notice.

Master Palm stood by the boy, scrutinizing him intently as he went through the motions of one of the more advanced kata of his Karate style.

The older man gave me a silent nod as I entered the premises and took my shoes off, making my way to the both of them, throwing an **[Observe]** at the younger boy, who still had not noticed me just yet.

**oooo  
Mr. Hercule Satan**

**Mark - Lv 19  
Race - Human  
Age - 13**

**HP: 3,400  
Ki: 1,000  
Rep: 5,000/10,000 Liked**

**Description: Mark is a boy who's lived a troubled life. His father having left at a young age, he has been forced to give up on his education to help his mother make ends meet, often taking up the role of prizefighter on the streets.**

**His dream is to make it big as a martial artist, as well as be able to go toe-to-toe with his friend, Ten.**

**He is currently training.**

**Battle Power: 56  
oooo**

The boy had come far since the day we'd met. Unsurprising, really; all it took was a few days of meditation and concentration, and he'd unlocked his Ki.

He would have likely done it himself, given enough time.

"Well done, Mark." Palm clapped once, giving a jovial grin. "You've got all of the forms down. Now, it's all a matter of further practice."

Mark nodded, looking pleased with himself before finally noticing me. He smirked, giving me a gruff nod of greeting, which I returned.

"Looks like your training's paying off." I said by way of greeting. "You could probably give that Pamput a run for his money, already."

"Really?" Mark looked surprised for a moment.

"At the very least in terms of sheer ability." I nodded. "With a bit more training, you'll easily exceed the guy— that's without even learning how to use **[Enhancement]**."

Mark winced at the mention of that.

It was a skill I'd developed a few days after Central's Martial Arts Games. Between Batara, Suruna and Blue all using Ki to enhance their defenses or attacks, I figured I'd do something similar.

I couldn't quite figure out how to reinforce just my fingers using Ki— I supposed I needed a good deal of training to achieve something like that.

However, I was nothing if not resourceful.

In a burst of inspiration, I'd used the principle behind my **[Mana Shield]**, applying it to my fingertips, making them into claws.

**oooo  
Tiger Claw (Lv 11- 65%/Active): You couldn't truly call it the Tiger Style if you didn't actually have claws to rake your opponents with. Well, now you do! Be careful though, your strikes may prove to be lethal.**

**Cost: 900 MP/min/hand.  
Damage: Varies depending upon where the target is struck. 20% Chance of inflicting a Critical Strike. Adds the [Bleeding] effect on your enemy, which can stack up to 5 times.**

**Bleeding: HP decreases at 0.5%/min for 3 minutes.  
oooo**

Of course, the skill's cost was ridiculous. I had been continually training in its use— at Lv 1, it cost me 1000 MP/min to use, per hand. Hopefully, with my increased MP and MP Regeneration, it'd be much easier to grind the skill up.

Speaking of skills, the other skill was **[Enhancement]**, a move I created in an attempt to emulate the fighters in the tournament, as well as Roshi's strange method of powering up.

Roshi had been able to increase his power by 50%, I remembered. He'd gone from a Battle Power of 150 to one of 225, a straight 50% increase.

How far did I get, after weeks of training at it?

**oooo  
Enhancement (Lv 4- 5%/Active): Your own base strength, stamina and speed weren't enough for you, so you decided to enhance your body through Ki!**

**Cost: 400 Ki/min**

**Effect: 3% Increase to Battle Power. 1.5% Increase to Physical Defense  
oooo**

Weeks of training, for barely any increase. This was a skill that would likely require months— if not years training to get it to a point in which it'd be useful.

Still, the results would eventually speak for themselves, I noted as Mark muttered an apology.

"It really is hard to learn." He admitted. "I did manage to condense my Ki into a ball yesterday, though! Just like you showed me."

"Oh?" I leaned forward in interest. "Let's see it, then."

Mark gave a nod of determination, holding both hands together, frowning in an extreme act of concentration.

Palm and I stared in surprise as a yellow ball of Ki slowly began to form— smaller than a mote of light, at first, but growing in size until it was about even with my Dragonball.

And then, it popped out of existence— the boy's concentration had faltered.

"Marvelous!" Palm looked excited as he clapped his student on the shoulder. "You never said you managed to do it!"

"Ah, I wasn't 100% sure I could manage it again, Master." Mark admitted, frowning. "It's really hard to bring it out."

I frowned as well. Perhaps the system made it easier for me to control my energy.

Or maybe, his mom's constant disapproval of his obsession with martial arts, as well as the derision aimed at the 'light tricks' seen in the World Martial Arts Tournament played a factor in it.

Perhaps Ki, in part, required an aspect of belief to it? It made sense, in a way; you needed to meditate to truly feel your energy.

If you didn't believe it was there, then you probably wouldn't have found anything.

That's why fighters like Pamput didn't even have Ki listed in their stats, I realized.

It was a sobering thought; so many fighters with untapped potential, simply because they didn't _believe_ that their latent power even existed.

Maybe not all was lost, though; Batara was able to use Ki, and so was Suruna. Still, I'd never even heard of either fighters.

Sure, they made appearances in tournaments, but you couldn't find them, otherwise.

I'd taken a few hours to look both up online, but there were only offhand mentions— no contact information, no offers of training, nothing.

There was no real advertised school of training that produced relatively strong fighters— well, aside from the Crane school, I supposed.

But, who wanted to be a part of those turds? I'd met a Crane disciple once; he was the biggest douche I'd ever met.

Sure, he'd beat all of Kai's disciples; including me— I'd just been starting my training. But, what was the point of talking down to everyone?

His Master, an old man wearing sunglasses and a black bird hat, was even more snobbish. He had a chat with mine, eventually leaving the premises, muttering about the dojo being a complete waste of his time.

"I'm sure if you keep at it, your skill with it will definitely get better." I assured the boy. "Think of it like one of your kata; the first time you went through the motions, you made plenty of mistakes, the movements were hard to adhere to, and so on."

A moment passed as he absorbed my comment.

"Yes, you're right." He said with nod, and another frown of concentration, bringing his hands together once more. "One more time."

Hours later, I left the dojo, heading towards the same restaurant that I'd visited weeks ago.

The owner, a lady in her mid thirties, seemed to recognize me as the winner of the tournament— I had to stifle a sigh of annoyance.

I really hadn't expected to gain notoriety after winning the tournament.

It should've been obvious, of course. I remembered watching previous tournaments. I even had a few King Chapa action figures— he had been one of my favorite fighters.

For a moment, I wondered how strong the man truly was. He'd already won a previous world tournament, so he probably had enough power to make him a threat.

At least, I assumed as much.

Dinner went by a little awkwardly— the people at the table next to me were whispering about me quite loudly.

Two girls around my age, I noted; their family seemed dismayed and uncomfortable, having realized that I could hear every word.

Still, I didn't let it get to me, digging into my meal with gusto, relishing in the taste and relaxing in my chair.

"H-hey mister Ten?" A young, high pitched voice broke through my haze of pleasure.

I blinked, turning in my chair to see a little boy, about half my age if I had to guess, nervously holding a picture of me.

Ah, it must've been a fan. The Central Martial Arts Games called me in a few days after I'd won, giving me an additional 50,000 Zeni.

Apparently I was popular among the kids here— so much that they'd made a substantial amount of profit from just selling my photo.

They'd also said that, if I put on a good showing in the World Martial Arts Tournament, they'd start selling action figures in my likeness— with my permission and a cut of the profits, of course.

The kid's parent, a stocky looking fellow in his thirties, was looking down at his boy with an encouraging smile.

"Hello." I replied. "What's your name?"

"I'm K-Koga." The boy, Koga, said nervously, fidgeting in place. "C-can I have your autograph?"

I had suspected it was something like that. I thought I'd be annoyed, but I wasn't.

Maybe it was the fact that this kid hadn't been as obnoxious as the girls who were currently giving annoyed glances to Koga for daring to come close to me.

"Sure, Koga." I smiled, taking the photo as well as a pen his father produced, signing my name at the bottom and handing it back.

"Th-thank you!" The boy grinned at me. I smiled back and shook the boy's hand, making him smile even brighter.

"I think you just made his month." Koga's dad chuckled, giving me a nod of gratitude and dragging his kid away. "Thanks for that. Come along now, Koga. We've taken enough of Mr Ten's time."

I stared at the two retreating figures for a long moment, before going back to my food, my mood incredibly lightened from the encounter.

The Sun was already setting by the time I was done eating, painting the sky in orange and red.

I wandered the streets for a while, walking off the feeling of fullness I got from my meal.

**Oooo  
Mental intrusion detected.**

**[Gamer's Mind] rebuffed attempt.  
oooo**

I reflexively sank into my tiger stance, searching my surroundings with a critical eye.

There was nothing here. Frowning, I climbed a nearby tree, standing on one of its branches to get a better view of the area.

I was hoping the better perspective would've helped, but there was still no one here.

I stayed that way for a few tense moments, until a raven landed in front of me, staring at me with almost too intelligent eyes.

I cast **[Observe] **on it out of sheer paranoia.

**oooo  
Messenger**

**Raven - Lv 10  
Race - Bird  
Age - 2**

**HP: 400**

**Description: A messenger bird trained to find anyone, anywhere by sending mental probes. There is a letter attached to its foot.**

**It is currently waiting for you to take it.**

**Battle Power: 6  
oooo**

So this was the source of the attack, I thought as the bird leapt at my arm, almost startling me off the tree.

The raven extended its leg to me, the letter somehow attached to it without the use of strings.

Curious, I grabbed the letter, and pulled, feeling a resistance as I did so.

I frowned, feeling some form of power holding the letter to the bird's foot. It felt a bit like that damned cloud, as well as the Dragonball.

The letter was stuck to the bird through magic, I faintly realized as I finally pulled it off.

The raven stared at me for another moment, before flying away silently.

Eerily, I realized it hadn't sent a single one of its cries the entire time it was around me.

Cautiously opening the letter, I read through its contents, eyebrows raising the further and further I read into it.

"Uranai Baba, huh?" I tore my gaze off the letter, watching the raven fly off into the distance.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**oooo  
Quest Updated  
Family History**

**Unlock the hidden power of your father's old bracelet and learn of your father's history.**

**-Find the fortune-teller's palace to the far west.**

**Reward: 20 AGI, 10 All Stats, Closure  
Failure Penalty: Nothing  
oooo**

I stared at the quest for a long moment, before dismissing it with a huff.

"How much could she really know…?" I muttered and jumped off the tree, landing easily on the sidewalk.

I supposed I was heading back home sooner than I thought.


	15. Chapter 14

**oooo  
Chapter 14  
oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, June 30, South City Airport**

I stepped out of the boarding tunnel, making my way past the luggage section, smiling in amusement at those who were frantically searching for their suitcases.

Thank god for inventories— I frowned at that, the quest I'd received only two days prior coming to mind.

I wondered if the Eternal Dragon could actually answer my question. With a huff and shrug, I shouldered my backpack— wouldn't want the airport security folks to get antsy, now would I— and made my way to the airport's arrival section.

I was stopped for a few minutes to endure a line of questioning, but was let go as soon as the security realized he wasn't really getting anywhere questioning a kid.

I would've been annoyed by this point but I realized, had I taken the long route, it would've taken me over a week to get home.

A few hours of sitting comfortably in a plane, followed by dealing with a few disgruntled security officers? Sublime by comparison.

"Ten!" I heard a familiar voice call out from behind the crowded masses at the arrival section. I peered closely, trying to pinpoint the source, before smiling at her as she waved frantically.

**Loving Mom  
Jean - Lv 7**

I adjusted the strap on my backpack, before pushing through the crowd easily, ignoring their dismayed cries as my mom almost leapt at me with a crushing hug.

"Hey, mom." I grinned, hugging her back fiercely, though I made sure to restrain myself. With my strength as high as it was, it would be the height of stupidity to really put any force behind the hug.

The faint sound of snapping necks came to mind, ruining the heartfelt moment.

"You've gotten a lot taller!" My mother stepped back, _really_ looking at me. She looked at my arms, her eyes wide in surprise.

I looked down, not really understanding until I realized that I hadn't been so.. Muscular before I left.

I was still somewhat lean, but my muscle definition compared to back then was worlds apart.

"My baby boy's growing up so fast!" Mom hugged me again, before smiling coyly. "Is this how you've been wooing that girl, Chichi?"

My face turned red. "Mom!"

"It's a _shame_ you didn't bring her over with you, son." She said, huffing in faux displeasure. "Then again, I'm sure you'll do it eventually."

I kept my mouth shut as she led me out of the airport and towards the parking lot. After about a minute of walking around aimlessly— mom had forgotten exactly where her car was parked— we were strapped in and on our way.

"So, did you find the old Master?" Mom asked as we stopped at a light, close to home.

"Yes, mom." I confirmed. "You wouldn't have believed it, but he looks like the oldest guy who's ever lived."

She snorted. "Don't be rude."

"You're the one who laughed." I mumbled.

"What was that?" She said, eyeing me mischievously as she pulled up to our house. "Did you say 'I don't want my favorite food, mom'?"

"..." I gave her a deadpan look, which she returned.

And so the ultimate staring contest was initiated: who would blink first? Who had the guts to stay the course and bring home the gold?

She blinked first.

"Yes!" I cheered as I exited the car, with mom following me, grumbling all the way inside.

The house was just as I remembered it. Sniffing, I caught a whiff of dinner, kicking my shoes and turning to my mother.

"Go take a shower, son. I'll get the food ready!" She ordered before giving me another hug and a kiss. "I'm glad you're back, honey."

I smiled slightly, watching her go to the kitchen.

"Me too, mom." I almost whispered, feeling very sad for a long moment. I looked around— really looked around this time.

I slowly moved up the stairs, my fingers running over the smooth, dark wooden rail.

My feet moved of their own accord and took me to my room, the muscle memory so ingrained I could probably do it in my sleep.

I stopped at the door for a moment, staring at the rectangular, taped on piece of cardboard which said:

**DANGER**

**KEEP OUT**

"So corny," I grinned in approval at the sign which I had lovingly placed a year ago. "So _awesome_."

I opened the door and stepped in the old room, flipping the light switch.

Yep, everything was exactly the same as when I'd left it in April. I took another few steps, surprised at how clean everything was.

"Mom must've been take care of it all this time." I said in realization. I felt bad about leaving her alone, here.

Setting the backpack gently over the bed, I grabbed one of my spare outfits, and went to take a shower.

A few minutes later, I exited the bathroom, hearing my mother call my down for dinner.

"Coming!" I shouted, knowing my voice would carry well downstairs, before entering my room and changing.

I heard her call me down once again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I said as I walked down the stairs, the smell of food even stronger.

Mom was already seated, not having dug into her meal just yet. She was waiting for me.

"Took you long enough, I'm dying here!" She complained, trying to sound annoyed, but her smile betrayed her true feelings.

"Sorry, mom." I smiled, taking the seat opposite of hers. She began to dig in, with me following shortly after.

"So this Master Roshi." She said between bites. "Was he as strong as Kai seemed to think?"

"Oh yeah! He—" I stopped for a moment to slurp in the noodles. "—he was unbelievably strong. He destroyed a mountain with his Kamehameha!"

My mom looked at me for a moment, before laughing. When she noticed I wasn't joining her, she stopped.

"Wait, you're serious?!"

I nodded with a grin. "He's like some super gramps hermit. One second, the mountain was there, and the next, it wasn't! He blew the whole thing up. Plus he had a flying spinning turtle and a cloud you could ride on!"

Damn, I didn't like that cloud, but it was an amazing piece of magic, I had to admit.

"He sure sounds like a... _strange_ fellow." Mom said, unsure of what to say. Well, she probably wanted to call me out on the insane things I'd just said, but she'd already seen my use of the **[Ki Ball]**, as well as the various clips she'd seen of the World Martial Arts Tournaments of the past.

I wisely omitted the fact that Roshi required a payment of dirty mags to even do the deed— mom probably wouldn't react too well to that, especially knowing that I was to spend quite a few months with the guy.

The rest of the dinner was spent answering all of her various questions. Before I knew it, I was doing the dishes, watching as my **[Dishwashing]** skill gained a level.

**oooo**

**Dishwashing (Lv 14 - 23%/Passive): The act of cleaning your dishes. You can get the job done at a fair speed. 15% Increase in dishwashing speed.**

**oooo**

Very funny, game, I thought as I placed the plate on the rack and turned, only to see my mother. She gave me a hug, and a kiss on the forehead, yawning mumbling something about needing to get up early.

"Oh, good night mom." I smiled and faintly realized it was already dark outside. "Sleep well."

"Y-" she yawned again, giving me a wave as she went up the stairs. "Yeah."

I watched her go for a moment, before running a hand through my hair and heading to my room. Closing the door behind me, I fired up my PC and sat down, watching it go through its booting process.

My lips quirked in amusement as my Mist account blew up with messages; a quick check showed that it was my online friends spamming me with messages asking where I was, if I was dead— that sort of thing.

I quickly answered each and every one, catching up with my mates, thoughts of letters and fortune-telling hags completely disappearing from my mind.

At least, for the moment.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Wednesday, July 3, Kai's Dojo**

He'd been at it for a minute, and yet my old master could not even touch me anymore.

Kai raised his hand, bringing it down quickly. I sidestepped it with an ease borne out of being used to months of training in high speed combat.

He twisted his hand in an attempt to back-swipe me, but I caught his wrist before he could commit to the strike, halting his momentum with my superior strength.

"It won't even budge." Kai said as he kept trying to escape my grip. I smiled, easing up and letting him go.

"What the hell have you been eating, kid?" The man asked, looking at me in a new light. "I mean, I saw the Central City tournament, but still, I figured I could give you a bit of a fight."

It was ridiculous, how far I'd come in such a short amount of time. Months ago, I couldn't even run for ten minutes; and now, I could train at full blast for three hours with no issue. My strength was beyond the human level— I'd been at the olympic athlete level when I left South City.

Training with the Ox-King, as well as alone in the wilderness had helped raise my base stats, as well as my **[Martial Arts]** and other related skills. Hell, I could still sink in 52 points straight into STR and double my available strength!

I wasn't going to, of course— training with Roshi would do that on its own.

"Mostly rations." I admitted ruefully, watching the man grimace. "I trained really hard, Master Kai."

"I can see that." Kai replied, rubbing at his temple for a moment. "Just Kai is fine."

Huh, hadn't expected he'd say that.

"..I don't know, it'd be weird to call you that, Master Kai." I replied awkwardly.

"Nonsense." He said, ruffling my hair slightly. "You're a master in your own right, now, Ten. I didn't tell your mom this, but after that tournament, I had dozens of people applying to join my school once they'd realized that was you."

I blinked in surprise.

"You've shown everyone that Tiger Style wasn't some gimmick." Master Kai said. "All of us here cheered for you when we saw you compete. You wouldn't _believe_ what happened when we saw you actually win the thing. You've come far from the first day you showed up here. Take pride in it. Should you wish to start your own school in the future, you have my blessing to spread the knowledge I've imparted on you."

I opened my mouth to reply, but nothing came out— the words were stuck in my throat.

Kai smiled, eyes glittering. "You don't have to say anything, kid. Besides, you're a long way away from settling down and starting your own school, eh?"

"Hehe, yeah." I nodded, smiling slightly.

"I can see it in your eyes, you know." Kai pointed out. "You've had a taste of what the world has to offer, and you want more, don't you? I was the same way."

"I— yeah." I said, feeling guilty all of a sudden.

"And I know that look, too." Kai gave a knowing smile. "Don't worry, kid. I'll look out for your mom, keep her company."

A faint memory of a quest pop-up resurfaced.

"You and.. Mom?" I asked a little strangely.

"What?" Kai looked confused for a second. "What do you… Oh."

What monster have I unleashed?

"Ten? Where are you going? Ten?" I heard Kai's voice behind me as I hightailed it out of there.

"Something came up, bye!"

God damn it!

**oooo**

**Age 749, Tuesday, July 9, South City High**

"I don't know how you managed it in your travels, son." My old principal said, astonishment on his face as he read through the test results. "But the results are right here. You've passed every test our school had to offer!"

I kept my face schooled, adopting a look of boredom.

"I figured I'd hit the books for a bit in Central City." I lied, watching the man's face .

The truth was that I memorized all of the books while hiding from my mom and Kai, who began to pester me for information on each other. Having an enhanced INT score of 69.66, as well as my **[Speed Reading]** skill made things ridiculously simple.

And so, twenty minutes later, I walked out of the principal's office with a diploma under my arm, passing through the crowded halls.

At first, no one had noticed my presence, until someone pointed and whispered to his friend. And so, the entire school knew by the time I'd stepped out of the building.

SCH's rumor mill was still going strong, I snorted in amusement as I began to make my way home.

"Ten, wait!" I heard a familiar voice call for me from behind.

I turned to see who it was, eyes widening in slight surprise. It was one of the few classmates who hadn't made fun of me or treated me like I wasn't even there.

Next to him was a girl I sort of recognized, but not really.

"Pencil." I greeted, with a grin. "I didn't catch you in the halls, figured you were in class or something. And, uh…"

I tried drawing on my memory for a name, but I couldn't… The name above her head though— "wait, Rula? Is that really you?"

Her slowly growing frown turned into a smile instantly.

"Wow, you've changed a lot." I grinned, before looking at the two, squinting. "Are you two, uh…"

A nod and a set of blushes was my answer.

"Good for you." I smiled again. "Things really have changed, huh?"

"You've gone through changes of your own." Pencil pointed out, gesturing at my muscles as well as the diploma I currently held. "Everyone's saying you're going places, you know."

"The prodigy of South City High." Rula added in theatrically, rolling her eyes in sync with me.

I laughed and began to answer, but the bell rang.

"Damn." Pencil said, slightly turning to check on his backpack. "I'll come over soon, me and Rula. We can play some games, like we used to?"

I gave him an apologetic shake of the head. "Sorry, bro. I'm leaving again tomorrow."

"Off to win another city's tournament? East, West or North?" Rula quipped good naturedly. "Don't worry about it, we'll keep your poor mother company while you go gallivanting off into the world again!"

With that, they turned and left.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I huffed in slight annoyance, my frown turning into a smile as I saw them enter the school. "They really have changed, though."

Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought I was back then, I mused as I made my way home.

Perspective was key, after all.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Wednesday, July 10, South City**

"Take care of yourself, son, you hear?" Mom said as she hesitated at the entrance of her workplace.

Knowing that she was likely feeling emotional over me leaving again, we spent all of Tuesday night watching my mother's favorite movie series: The Crushing Fist trilogy, starring Pamput.

Of course, this time, my mom kept commented on the various fight scenes, asking me if I could pull off any of the moves that Pamput did.

After demonstrating a few, she suggested I should become a movie star.

"I have the acting ability of a dead fish." My reply was.

"So does Pamput, and he's raking in the tens of millions!" Her retort had made me seriously consider it, I thought as I gave her a long hug.

"You know me, mom." I grinned, trying to assuage her worries. "Responsible and safe."

"You beat up thugs and randomly fight in tournaments." She deadpanned.

"Uh… Relatively responsible and safe?" I tried with a much more subdued smile.

It seemed to work, as she let out a teary giggle and smothered me in a hug once again, before backing away and heading into the building to start her shift.

I shouldered my backpack, frowning as she disappeared from view.

"She'll be all right." I said to myself, turning and walking away. "Everyone's going to be looking out for her. Kai, the principal dude, Rula and Pencil..."

The last two seemed pretty happy now, I noted with a smile. They used to keep dancing around the subject of their attraction to one another. Things had gotten a bit tense between us before I left— wait, could it have been because of me?

**For realizing you were being a third wheel, you gain +1 to WIS!**

"_Thank you_, game." I muttered in annoyance, the couple passing me by sending me odd looks.

Shaking off my thoughts on my two former classmates, I made my way to the repair shop.

It was an old building, but well taken care of. I caught the whiff of a relatively fresh coat of paint, before entering through the front door, the sound of power tools filling the air.

"Ah, Ten." A stout fellow in his sixties— the owner, Peelo— grinned at me, before reaching under the desk, pulling a small case, opening it to show my boat capsule. "You made it just in time."

"Lucky me." I said drily, looking a tad amused.

The man did a double take, before shaking his head slightly. Wonder what that was about?

"It really wasn't all that tough to fix, really." Peelo said, clearing his throat a few times. "None of the bullets hit the tank, so you got really luck in that regard. It'll still look as beat up as it did before, though; no going around that, to be honest."

I nodded. "I thought as much, this old boat's been used for a long time."

"Don't I know it." Peelo grinned and gave a hearty laugh. "I'm the one who built it for your old man, bless his soul."

My eyes went wide with surprise at the revelation. "You knew my father?"

"Surprised that a young man like me knew your old man?" Peelo replied, waggling his eyebrows. I snorted at the gesture.

Young, my ass.

"Heh, I see that look on your face, boy." The older man chortled. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. I remember when your old man came in and he saw my old man— he was the owner back then. Same look on his face, you almost look exactly like him, you know."

I nodded in agreement and faint surprise.

Mom kept a lot of pictures. I'd gotten a few fresh looks in the last week, and it seemed I was almost a complete carbon copy of the man.

"Down to the bracelet." He muttered.

"What?" I latched onto that.

"I said: 'down to the bracelet'." Peelo repeated, frowning at me.

"This actually belonged to him." I said, lifting my hand to let him have a closer look. "Mom gave it to me."

Peelo scrutinized it for a few moments. "It's the same one, all right. Your old man and I used to sail a lot together; those were the days…"

They sailed together, huh?

"...Would your sailing trips happen to be to the west?" I asked curiously.

The old man blinked in surprise. "That's right! He'd gotten me to take him quite a few trips out west— until he learned to do it himself, of course. Resourceful guy, your old man was. Not really sure why he'd want to go there, though. I guess he liked the scenery."

"Probably." I said, finally taking the capsule and putting it in one of my backpack's pockets, before pulling out a map. "Can you tell me exactly where? It's just that…"

I stopped for a moment, trying to figure out a way to word it.

"Following in your father's footsteps, eh?" Peelo said, his expression sympathetic, and grabbed a pen, studying the map intently, before drawing a path west from the southern docks to the western, mostly uncharted landmass.

"That's more or less it, I'd say." Peelo eyed his work intently, nodding to himself a few times before handing me the map back. "It's been a long time, but I'm fairly sure that's the way. What he did when he got there, I have no idea."

I checked the map, weighing it against the search results I'd gotten when looking up Fortune-teller Baba and nodding. It matched up nicely with the rumors of her palace being somewhere in that direction.

"That's honestly more than I could hope for. Thank you, Mr. Peelo." I said, meaning it.

"Don't mention it, kid." He waved it off, grinning instead. "You take care of yourself out there, y'hear?"

With a nod and a wave, I exited the repair shop, looking up at the sky.

"Following in your footsteps, huh…" I muttered and began to walk towards the southern docks. "I wonder what you were thinking when you first made the trip, dad?"


	16. Chapter 15

**oooo  
Chapter 15  
oooo**

**Age 749, Tuesday, July 9, Out At Sea**

It had been a few hours since I set sail from South City, and I had to admit: Peelo had done a magnificent job repairing this old hunk of junk.

It still groaned in familiar ways, but I expected as much, really. The old timer had warned me, too.

He did, however, neglect to mention the _new padded seat_, which was an awesome addition if you asked me.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Your Sailing skill has levelled up!**

**Sailing (Lv 47- 1%/Passive): Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on boat. You, having braved the storm and all its beauty and horror, know just how dangerous the sea can really be. 51% Increase in boat speed. 35% Increase in boat turning speed.**

**oooo**

I smiled at the progress— "been a while since I've seen that skill. Full speed would be a bit over 90 kph if I remember my calculation correctly."

And the rough distance from South City to the western landmass on this map was… 6000 km?

A bit over 66 hours if I were to go nonstop— which was obviously impossible, as I would have to stop to refuel, as well as eat and rest… Not to mention the possibility of facing storms or more pirate scum.

Driving for 6 hours, then eating and refueling, then driving for another six hours before relaxing for the rest of the day would make this particular trip take about… six days.

I rounded the estimate up to a week in case there was a storm or something— maybe a week and a half if my luck was beyond awful and I got attacked by a killer whale or a band of pirates.

I nodded to myself and pushed the boat to top speed, picking up speed until the cold air was slamming against my body— my dark green jacket protecting me from most of the chill.

It might have been summertime, but out at sea, staying warm and dry was of the utmost importance.

Pulling Uranai Baba's letter from my inventory, I read through its contents once more.

**oooo**

**Letter From An Old Hag**

**Item: Letter  
Class: Common**

**Description: A letter sent to you from the Fortune-teller Baba.**

**Contents:**

**To the son of Ren.**

**You have inherited his talent for the mystic arts— the fact that you're able to read this very letter proves it.**

**You have an open invitation to my palace in the west.**

**Uranai Baba**

**oooo**

As far as letters went, she'd probably given me the minimum amount of information possible, but _just enough_ to pique my interest.

My father was apparently talented in the "mystic arts", which was a fancy way of saying magic, and he knew this old lady in some way.

From Peelo's revelation, I realized my father likely knew this old fortune-teller quite well, if he'd truly made the number of trips he had.

I mean, I had known for some time that my father's life had probably been different than everyone else's. Why else would his bracelet have been enchanted to boost the wearer's attributes?

On that note, had he _really_ died in an accident?

I remembered that day well; I'd just come home from school, only to see my mother sitting at the kitchen table crying her heart out, her phone broken on the ground, among other things.

All she'd said was that there was an accident, and that dad wouldn't be coming home anymore. I hadn't understood it back then. How could I have?

I was just a dumb kid, then.

Eventually I realized that he wasn't coming back because he was dead. There was apparently not even a body. We had a gravestone made for him, but there was no one buried underneath it.

I'd visited it once and never again. It had all been too much to bear; it was one of the big reasons why I began to escape into games.

But, this was something I could no longer escape.

In the distance, I saw a whale leap high into the air, crashing back down in the water with a huge splash and a decently sized wave.

I smiled slightly.

I wasn't even sure I wanted to escape, anymore.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, July 18, Near the Western Landmass**

I grinned as I spotted the land in the distance with my binoculars, steering the boat a bit to the right.

The trip had actually been pretty dull, all things considered. The previous one had been filled with storms, pirate attacks and the like.

This one? Peaceful to a fault— a bit longer than anticipated, but it wasn't so bad.

It wasn't that I wanted something bad to happen, but just to have _anything_ happen to ease the sense of crushing boredom one could only get with no human contact and nothing to pass the time with but a sizeable stack of books kept within my inventory.

Speaking of the books...

It was something I'd promised my mother I'd do. She wanted me to eventually get a degree in something, and I thought I'd pick something in line with my interests— in this case, Computer Engineering, Robotics, that sort of thing.

So, I read through the books while steering the boat, and also while relaxing— though I had to watch where I was going when I ended up focusing too hard on the books.

That had set me back quite a bit, actually.

Anyway... About three quarters of the way through my books, I had, to my surprised, received a skill.

And, like any skill, I grinded it by reading the remaining books, which led me to this point:

**oooo**

**Techie (Lv 5-32%/Passive): Your keen interest in technology will bring you far in life, as it is the future of your race. At the moment, your theoretical knowledge is extensive, though you have no true experience with the "hands-on" aspect of your education.**

**oooo**

Anyway, that had taken me all of six days to achieve. The maths and physics books had been considerably dry reads despite my interest in the subject, but I powered on through them, heavily abusing my INT stat as well as my **[Speed Reading] **skill, which had gained some levels of its own.

Speaking of stats, reading the books themselves had raised both my INT and WIS.

Doing higher level mathematics, solving complex physics problems, learning methods of programming and the like, all of these had required me to use my mind to its utmost limit.

It certainly hadn't been easy.

I pulled up my **Status Sheet **for a few moments:

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 19 (16,800/20,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 6,845  
MP: 5,994  
Ki: 8,712**

**STR: 50 (83.5)  
VIT: 62 (103.54)  
AGI: 50 (83.5)  
INT: 62 (79.98)  
WIS: 60 (77.4)**

**Points: 52  
Battle Power: 90.2**

**oooo**

I gave a quick read through the window, before dismissing it in satisfaction. The increase in stats was worth it.

Ten minutes later, and I was ashore, the boat giving the telltale groan it made when beginning to brush up against the land.

Placing whatever junk I had lying around on the boat back into my inventory, I turned the old ship into a capsule once again, stepping onto dry land.

A second later, I nodded, pulling my jacket off and throwing it into the inventory. Now that I was no longer out at sea, it was starting to get awfully toasty.

The July sun beat down on me as I began my trek in the wilderness, heading towards the mountains to the north of me— the logic being that I would be better able to navigate once I got to a high enough altitude.

Plus, it would probably be fun, I figured.

Actually reaching the mountain was taking a lot longer than I expected— one of those cases when something in the distance looks so big that you believe it's actually close.

An hour's walk and I was still probably about a third of the way there— I couldn't be too sure, my perceptions feeling skewed and casting doubt in my mind.

I was about to stop to drink some water, but was interrupted by a strange thud in the distance, steadily growing stronger with every second.

With an earth-shaking roar, a dinosaur burst out of the tree line, a T-rex— wait, no; it was an allosaurus. I had a bit of a dinosaur obsession while growing up, and I knew the difference between the breeds, and especially how this particular breed behaved.

Which meant— I heard nothing but roars as another two, slightly smaller allosauruses came out of the forest, all making a beeline for me.

Pack hunters.

Throwing an **[Observe]** on the pack leader, I began to run away, buying myself some time while nervously reading through the window.

**oooo  
Leader**

**Allosaurus - Level 25  
Race - Dinosaur  
Age - 16**

**HP: 20,000**

**The Alpha of its pack, this allosaurus plans to eat you, as it is very hungry.**

**Battle Power: 85  
oooo**

I snuck a peek back— the gigantic thirty foot long monster was gaining on me, and fast.

For a moment, I thought about stopping and fighting the giant animals head on before dismissing it as utterly reckless. These things were mountains of pure muscle.

My fists would do very little, here.

My **[Tiger Claw]** could likely pierce their hardened scales, but it would have been like if I got stung by a bee. It would hurt the great beasts, but it wouldn't help me in any way.

Activating **[Sprint]**, I went even faster, leaving a steady gulf distance between us and buying me more time to figure out a plan.

Running the numbers in my head, I turned and aimed at the quickly approaching dinosaur waiting until he got very close.

**-6,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!**" A great ball of Ki shot at the hulking beast, slamming into it with great force and knocking it back. It was dead before it even hit the ground.

I turned, and made a break for it, the other two allosauruses not even breaking stride at the sight of their alpha getting taken down.

Unsurprising, more food for them I reckoned, as a new set of windows appeared to the side.

**oooo**

**+5,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
You have gained a level!**

**For reaching Level 20 without dying, you receive +3 to all stats!**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 20 (1,800/21,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 7,484  
MP: 6,489  
Ki: 2,312/9,525**

**STR: 53 (88.51)  
VIT: 65 (108.55)  
AGI: 53 (88.51)  
INT: 65 (83.85)  
WIS: 63 (81.27)**

**Points: 57  
Battle Power: 95.2**

**oooo**

That had taken most of my Ki reserves— and there were two more to deal with. Wait— they stopped, and turned back to their deceased leader, examining its body for a few seconds before tearing into him voraciously, the downed allosaurus' blood splattering all around his still-warm corpse.

To resort to cannibalism, how hungry were they?

But then again, it made sense; I wasn't exactly a good source of nutrition for the quickly shrinking behemoths. Between me, a quick, moving target that could kill them, or an already dead mountain of meat— the choice was simple.

Nature truly was cruel, I noted as I kept on sprinting, reading through my windows once more, before dismissing them and slowing back down to a slightly brisk walk.

I pulled out a Nutri-Bar from my inventory, taking a few bites out of it as I took in this new information.

I was going to make the assumption that I would receive bonus stats every 20 levels; I didn't really have any information to support it, but it would fit with the theme of the game.

Milestone rewards, and the like. What was the point of endlessly grinding if it didn't feel rewarding?

Following this thread of logic, I surmised that the reward would be proportional to the amount of effort put into reaching it.

As it was, I got to level 20 mostly by doing whatever quest popped up while I was doing other things like training, or studying, or simply surviving in the wild.

I was sure that I would have to actually begin grinding hard at some point, but I didn't know exactly when I'd have to shift my "playstyle" in that particular direction.

For now, my current progress was good enough, I reckoned as I pulled a water bottle out of my inventory and took a long swig before returning it.

I picked up the pace, keeping an eye on my Ki as it gradually began to rise. It'd take about an hour for it to fill back up, but that was all right.

Keeping an eye out for any more predators, I carefully traversed the lands, slowly calming down when I realized those allosauruses weren't going to chase me— sated by their former leader's flesh, no doubt.

I finally reached the base of the mountain, forty minutes later. Staring up at the rough terrain, I pulled on a new pair of shoes out of my inventory.

**oooo**

**Hiking Boots**

**Item: Shoes  
Class: Grand**

**Description: A pair of high quality hiking boots you bought with the prize money. They are specifically designed for protecting the feet and ankles while on rough terrain, and provide a good grip.**

**25% Increase in stability on rocky terrain.**

**oooo**

With that, I began to make my way up the mountain, carefully watching every step. I lost myself in the task, focusing on my footing, as well as the peak far above me.

These boots were really coming in handy, I faintly noted as the minutes passed. Easily able to grip the earth beneath my feet and allow me to move almost unhindered; well worth every Zeni.

Half an hour passed before the path began to become difficult, my path turning steeper and steeper, until I was actively using my hands as well as my feet to climb.

My jacket was already back on, with the sun slowly beginning to set, and the altitude making everything feel much colder.

I stopped for a moment to adjust my collar before freezing, having heard a few small stones fall somewhere nearby, making pitter patters over the rocky terrain.

Turning to that direction, I stopped its source— a pair of sabrecats, frozen in place when they'd seen my stare in an attempt to avoid my notice.

Such a primitive trick, I thought as I cast **[Observe] **on both cats, reading off their status sheets**.**

**oooo  
Mountain Sabrecat - Lv 15  
Race - Feline  
Age - 5**

**HP: 6,000**

**A species well suited for rocky and mountainous terrain, these have grown very large teeth to easily kill their prey. They are known to chip their teeth on stones every year, lest they grow too long and become useless. This one wants to eat you.**

**Battle Power: 42**

**oooo**

**Mountain Sabrecat - Lv 12  
Race - Feline  
Age - 4**

**HP: 5,000**

**A species well suited for rocky and mountainous terrain, these have grown very large teeth to easily kill their prey. They are known to chip their teeth on stones every year, lest they grow too long and become useless. This one wants to eat you.**

**Battle Power: 35**

**oooo**

Hm, okay.

Well, they weren't exactly a major threat, I noted. I pointed my palm at them, aiming carefully, before shaking my head.

"Dumbass!" I chided myself. "You're on a mountain, if you throw **[Ki Balls]** that you aren't even sure are going to hit, you'll cause an avalanche and bury yourself under the mountain."

I continued my climb, watching closely as the two predators slowly made their way to me through the treacherous terrain.

"Hm." I looked around my current spot— there was plenty of space to move around. I turned to the ledge on which I knew the two cats were about to reach.

A few seconds passed, before I saw both sabrecat's paws emerge on the ledge, pulling themselves up quickly as they prepared to lunge— but I had already made a lunge of my own, activating my **[Tiger Claw]** on both hands mid-lunge.

**-1,800 MP!**

I sidestepped the first sabrecat's lunge and swiped at the second, the glowing claws at my fingertips digging through the animal's skull and piercing its brain, killing it instantly.

**+3,000 XP!**

I pulled my stained fingers out and fixed my attention back on the other animal, faintly aware of the now-dead animal beginning to spasm uncontrollably, its nerves firing off randomly in response to the lethal trauma I'd inflicted upon it.

The remaining sabrecat was already leaping to maul me, its claws and giant fangs ready to take me down.

I took a single step, and threw a textbook sidekick, the force behind it breaking through the sabrecat's fangs and smashing into its mouth.

It made a little whiny noise, before weakly attempting to swipe at my foot as it choked.

I pulled my foot out of its gaping mouth, wincing at the bloody mess I'd left and watching as the previously lunging predator began to try and crawl away from me.

I felt a bit of pity for the poor creature, despite realizing that, had our positions been reversed, it would have been feasting on my corpse.

Still, with its teeth destroyed, and an injury like that, it was likely going to die within a day at best.

Carefully making my way towards the slowly crawling feline, I quickly tore through the back of its neck with a quick swipe, taking it out of its misery.

**+2,400 XP!**

I sighed and deactivated **[Tiger Claw]**, backing away from the edge and sitting down, my back against the rock wall. This was probably the only part I didn't really enjoy. Killing animals wasn't something I could really get used to, even after I learned how to properly hunt from the Ox-King.

I pulled a small container of wet sanitizer tissue, cleaning my bloodied hands, before wiping at the blood on my boot. A quick check to my MP showed that it was down to 4689— that skill really was a magic hog, but its sheer effectiveness made it worth using.

Once I was done cleaning up, I gave one final look to the two dead hunters, bowing my head slightly in respect for them, before continuing on up.

The path was turned into a straight climb, after another twenty minutes of steady hiking. I didn't really have any proper mountain climbing gear, aside from my boots, and those were more for traversing terrain, than actually dicking into the rocks.

"This is as far as I go." I said out loud, staring up at the mountain's peak. I made good progress; I was three quarters of the way up.

I pulled the map out of the inventory, cursing as the wind made the paper fold in a weird direction. I had to step closer to the rock wall and place the map against it, having to adjust it every few seconds to read through it.

"Okay, so I'm probably around here." I put my finger on a spot on the first mountain. I could definitely see the ocean east of here, and I could see well enough to the west. The map said there's a lake, there. I would put my money on that, since it would have been much easier to live near the water, than it would be to live in, a desert."

The lake itself was surrounded by small hills and forests, making it quite the remote location. Perfect for, say… an old hag who valued her privacy?

I rolled the map back up, satisfied with my conclusion, and looked over the west ledge, pulling out the binoculars from my inventory and putting them on.

I scanned the horizon for a while, before I found the lake.

Scanning it closely, I felt a small smile spread on my face; there were buildings there. I couldn't quite make them out from this distance, but it didn't matter.

I now had a lead.

I took a step in that direction, before stopping and shaking my head. The sky was already turning dark, the final red hues of the sun gradually disappearing into the horizon.

I set up a tent, using my **[Tiger Claw]** to make holes large enough into the rocky ground so I could put the stakes in easily.

In the process, I slightly regretted not getting a Capsule Tent— not that it would have helped me here, this was the biggest area at this altitude, and it wasn't big enough for the affordable capsule models I was looking at.

I gave a shrug, staring at the darkening sky for a few long moments, before going into my tent and sitting down on the comfortable mat, zipping the tent closed behind me.

I pulled another NutriBar out and took a big bite, the taste not even bothering me anymore, after months of growing used to it. I had an all new understanding of the term "acquired taste".

I lay down on the mat, covering myself up and tried to sleep. I twisted and turned. I was perfectly comfortable, but my mind was going a mile a minute.

I was going to meet someone who probably knew something substantial concerning my father. Hell, I bet that old hag knew everything about him. I stared at my bracelet for a second, my mind presenting me with dozens of questions.

**oooo**

**Beads of Haste**

**Class: Accessory (Wrist)  
Rarity: Rare**

**The bracelet your father always used to wear. He always said it was his lucky bracelet. You've always thought it was too bad he wasn't wearing it the day of the "accident". +5 to AGI**

**Additional effect: ?, Insufficient AGI to unlock**

**oooo**

How did he make it? Why did he make it?

Why was he not wearing it on that day? What really happened on that day? Judging by his ability to enchant an item that has given me a better stat boost than any other item I'd ever seen, he had to be pretty good at these 'mystic arts', right?

I doubted he just went up and disappeared. I hadn't known the man for very long, but my mother had always insisted that he kept his promises, and was one of the most reliable people she'd ever known.

"Dad…" I said slowly, feeling sad for a few moments before **[Gamer's Mind]** exerted its power, blocking the feeling off with great efficiency. "Just what were you doing?"


	17. Chapter 16

**oooo  
Chapter 16  
oooo**

**Age 749, Friday, July 19, Near the Peak**

I awoke slowly, shifting slightly in my mat, away from the light filtering through the side of the tent.

Opening my eyes slightly showed the translucent blue window I had grown used to seeing every morning.

**oooo  
****You've slept on a bed! HP, MP, and Ki fully restored!  
****oooo**

With a negligent swipe of the hand, I dismissed the window and closed my eyes again, enjoying the warmth and comfort the mat offered for a few more minutes, before finally getting up.

Scratching my back and craning my neck out of sheer habit, I yawned once again, pulling a NutriBar out of my inventory and unwrapping it, before taking quick bites.

Unzipping the entrance open, I pushed the tent flap away and stepped out of my temporary shelter, feeling the cold chill in the air, waking me up completely.

I turned my face towards the steadily rising sun, its sheer heat and light forcing the cold away with every passing second as the sky slowly lightened into its signature light blue color.

I quickly went through the process of breaking camp, pulling the stakes out of the ground and returning all of the supplies into their Capsule, which I then put in my inventory.

I stared down towards the lake in the far distance, and began to make my way down.

The rocky terrain still felt cold to the touch, but that didn't bother me as I swiftly made my way down, feeling energized from the night's rest, as well as getting swept up in my excitement.

Soon, I would have answers to questions I'd long since given up on.

With that thought, I quickened my pace, still maintaining my careful approach to climbing down; but as time passed and the land began to slowly level out, I hurried even more.

In about half the time it took for me to get up that mountain, I was already at the base, switching back to my **All-Terrain Shoes** and continuing my trek towards the fortune-teller's palace.

It was a matter of a few hundred km left. Feeling a little impatient, I began to sprint at full speed— I could maintain this for three hours at this point in my training, before being afflicted with the **[Exhaustion] **debuff.

I'd also learned a little trick to it all a few weeks back- and I honestly felt a little stupid for not trying it beforehand.

If I rested for fifteen minutes, then, for whatever reason, the timer would reset and I could go full blast once more.

I hadn't totally abused this particular aspect just yet, but I planned to during my training with Master Roshi.

And, I suppose, now, too.

Activating **[Sprint]**, I dashed across the land for the next two and a half hours, going as fast as a car— slower than my boat's enhanced speed, but still fast enough to watch the land fly me by.

But, even at this speed, I realized that it would probably still take me more than three hours.

I ended up stopping at the two hour, forty minute mark, slowing back down to a walk as I pulled my bottle of water from the inventory, greedily consuming the liquid.

It was odd, I thought as I kept my eye on my surroundings. I didn't bleed, but I still needed to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom, which meant there was still fluid in my body.

I'd never really thought about it before— mostly because I didn't _want_ to even think about it.

Chichi had noticed it, of course. In our first weeks sparring together, she would try to patch me up, only to find that my "wounds" didn't bleed, and had a slight red glow to them.

I told her I didn't really know why it was like that now, but the girl was smart. She'd picked up on the half truth, but didn't pry— well, she did try, once.

That was probably the one time I'd been short with her. My secrets were my own, after all.

She'd taken the hint pretty quickly and let things go, though she took it out on me during spars.

But, she eventually calmed down, realizing that I needed to trust her in order to divulge any of my secrets.

I was sure that if things got really serious between us, then I would probably tell her everything.

Maybe. Hell, I hadn't even told my mother. Plus, what would it even change if I did tell them?

They already knew I was capable of supernatural feats— Chichi was also capable of them, so it's not like anything would have changed.

With a careless shrug, I resumed my run, activating **[Sprint] **every now and again, but my mind was too preoccupied to do it often.

A quick check to my Ki pool showed that it was at about 80%; the skill really was costly.

Though, it became less so with every level I gained, as well as every time I'd levelled up my **[Ki User]** skill.

The scenery slowly shifted as the time passed. Hillsides and forests began to change into flatlands and small shrubs, until I finally set my eyes on the lake I'd be running towards for the past five and a half hours.

I could see the palace in the distance, the air around it shimmering— the effect of the heat? Or something else?

I couldn't tell.

The palace itself was an oddity, I noted whole studying the structure. Four buildings over the water with small passages connected to the main building.

It was a remarkable feat of engineering— or, probably some kind of magic if I thought about it.

I kept my walk nice and steady, watching the palace get bigger as **[Gamer's Mind]** erased the stubbornly building fear until all that remained of it was a small muted shade.

I spied a few figures exiting the palace, though I couldn't really tell what was going on from this distance. Frowning, I pulled out the binoculars and got a better look.

It seemed as if a group of five men were bolting away in fear, carrying one of their fallen friends and loading him into a car, before driving off away.

Near the entrance was a.. Wispy looking creature wearing a straw hat— it floated there for a few moments, before suddenly shifting its eyes directly at me, its smile incredibly wide.

I reflexively pulled off my binoculars, feeling a chill run up my spine before forcibly being calmed down. Honestly, if I didn't have **[Gamer's Mind]**, I would have gone through at least four different mental breaks.

At least that many.

I looked through the binoculars again. Its creepy eyes were still trained on me, but the creature waved a little wispy nub at me, beckoning me forward.

So, I obliged the ghost thing, striding forward until I reached the fortuneteller's palace.

The ghost was there waiting, still staring at me with its soulless eyes as I cast **[Observe].**

**oooo  
Ghost Usher - Lv 8  
Race - Human (Deceased)  
Age - 823  
HP: 1,500**

**Having long since lost his identity, Ghost Usher was recruited by the fortune-teller to work as an attendant for any of her visitors.**

**Battle Power: 2  
oooo**

"Welcome!" It said brightly as I came closer. "Are you here for your fortune to be told?"

I blinked at its high pitched voice, as well as its strangely servile demeanor, before replying. "No, I'm here to see the fortune-teller, though."

It stared at me for a moment, before smiling even wider and floating forward a moment. "Very well! Fortune-teller Baba is currently preoccupied with a guest. I will call for you when it's your turn!"

I nodded at the information, watching the little ghost float away from me. This was a dead person, but he was here, in the living world. How?

Was there life after death, somehow? There had to be, if I just had an exchange of words with a dead guy. This fortune-teller could mess with the souls of the dead, and bind them to her whim?

Just who was I coming to see?

My thoughts were broken up by a morose looking man, in his mid-to-late forties exiting the premises, muttering about thieving ex-wives and throwing a capsule, revealing a top of the line aircraft, which he boarded and swiftly flew away in.

"Sorry for the wait!" The pink ghost said from right behind me, startling me. It continued as if it hadn't even noticed my reaction. "This way, please!"

It floated slowly into the entrance, heading out onto the bridge leading to the large structure at the center of this set of buildings. I followed as it beckoned me to follow it once more.

"Are you really dead?" I dared to ask the ghost in front of me.

It stopped for a long moment, giving me an eerie look, before giggling and nodding vigorously in the affirmative.

I opened my mouth to further question the floating dead man, but he began to speak as we entered the main building.

"I've brought the latest one." The ghost called out into the darkness of the building. I frowned, trying to peer into the darkness to see who he was talking to.

That's when I saw it.

Up above, I could see a glowing ball slowly descend to the center of the room, bathing everything in a green glow.

"Hoi." A voice came from the ball— wait, no, it was a little above. I squinted a little, seeing a small form sitting on top of the floating ball.

The glow ended abruptly, and the lights came on, revealing a diminutive, weathered old crone, sitting atop a crystal ball. She was wearing a witch's hat, as well as robes.

"Oh my, this one's very young." The old crone spoke, her voice somewhat deeper than I'd anticipated from someone her size. She clasped her hands together.

I stared at her for a moment, before trying an **[Observe]**.

**oooo  
?-?-?-?**

**?-?-?  
Race - ?  
Age - ?**

**HP: ?  
MP: ?**

**? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?**

**Battle Power: ?  
oooo**

"An interesting trick." The old crone fixed an interested look upon me. "And one I've never quite seen before. At least, not applied in this way."

She'd rebuffed the attempt to **[Observe] **her without even trying.

Not even General Blue could resist this move so quickly, and efficiently. I had gleaned a great amount of information when I'd used it on him the first time.

But, from this old lady? Nothing at all.

Perhaps this was the difference between an amateur and an expert in the mental arts?

Unsure of what to say, I tried for an apology. "Sorry."

"Sorry about trying it, or sorry about being caught?" The old lady tested, her pink hair waving along her bobbing head.

"Both?" I replied.

She gave a chilling cackle at the answer. "You must be Ren's boy. I've been expecting you."

It's almost like you're a fortune-teller, I wanted to say. Instead, I nodded and took a step forward.

"My name is Ten." I said.

"Of course it is." She cackled again. "Ren never had much naming sense. I'm Uranai Baba."

I opened my mouth to speak, only to find that I had no idea where to begin. A moment passed, before I threw the first question that came to mind.

"How did you know my father?" I asked bluntly.

"To the point, eh?" She commented, floating over towards me, circling me a few times before tapping the bracelet on my wrist. "I remember this old thing. I helped him make it, you see."

"So, it's true." I said slowly, taking it in. "He learned magic here."

"Of a sort." The old lady said cryptically, still studying me intently. "You seem exceptionally strong for your age. It's no surprise you won Central's little tournament of small fries."

Small fries— Those had been the most challenging fights I've had, to date.

"Oh, yes." She gave an eerie smile as she floated back to the center of the room. "None of them would have lasted a second against _my _fighters."

That was a rather ominous statement, I thought.

"But enough on that topic." She clapped her hand once. "Now that I've had a good look at you, I can sense that you possess great potential, both in the mystic and fighting arts."

I nodded uncertainly, not knowing where she was going with this.

"You are to be training with that old fool Roshi, yes?" Baba said, her piercing look unwavering.

"Ah, yes." I confirmed. "I wasn't aware that you knew the master."

"The master, he says." She seemed to find that funny, but made no further comment on it. "Very well. I have invited you to learn the same arts your father practiced."

I opened my mouth to reply, but she cut me off.

"Before you say anything, there will be a few conditions." She stated flatly. "Think carefully before you decide."

"... I'm listening." I nodded, gesturing for her to get on with it. "What are the conditions?"

She stared at me for a long moment, before nodding. "Very well. There are two conditions. First, you are to focus your entire being to the mystic arts. That means no physical training beyond maintaining your current skill and strength level— though, from what I've gleaned, you don't really need to train to maintain either, do you?"

This really was a frightening old woman. To be so perceptive as to detect an aspect of the workings of **[Gamer's Body]**... Just what the hell was she?

"Don't look so surprised, young man." Baba cackled at my expression, before turning serious once more. "My second condition, well... Normally, I would charge people for my services— and let me tell you, my time doesn't come cheaply!"

I frowned.

Obviously, judging from her words, she wasn't going to make me pay for this magical education. So, what was she going to make me do?

"What's your second condition, then?" I asked calmly.

"It's quite simple." She gave me a piercing look. "You work for me. You will complete certain tasks I set you on. In return, you may learn the mystic arts."

Seconds passed as I considered her offer. The first condition was fine— as she had correctly surmised, a lack of training would not hinder my **Skills** and **Attributes** in any way.

The second, however… What would she be having me do?

"The tasks won't be anything you wouldn't want to do, anyway, child." She read my mood perfectly. Was she able to look past my **[Gamer's Mind]**, or did she simply make a logical deduction? There was no way to tell.

After another few seconds, I finally gave my answer.

"I accept your conditions."

**oooo**

**+5,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**Quest Updated  
Family History**

**Unlock the hidden power of your father's old bracelet and learn of your father's history.  
-Find the fortune-teller's palace to the far west.  
-Learn the mystic arts under Uranai Baba.  
-Complete any sub-quest given to you.**

**Reward: 20 AGI, 10 All Stats, Closure  
Failure Penalty: Nothing**

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**You have gained the title [Initiate]!**

**Initiate: 5% Increase in MP and MPR.**

**oooo**

The old lady clapped her hands together. "Splendid! Now, if you'll follow me…"

She floated off to the side towards what seemed to be a fighting arena, I realized. Did she want me to fight someone?

"This will be your test." She began to explain. "You obviously know some form of magic, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to sense your power. You will face up against one of my fighters- but you are not allowed to use your life force, only your magic."

I frowned for a moment.

"One of my ski.. Uh.. Spells, I suppose, is specifically tailored for my fighting style." I tried to explain.

"That's fine." She waved it off. "As long as you don't use your life energy or simple brute force."

I wondered if she'd consider my **[Tiger Claw]** as brute force, but shrugged. She'd given me permission to use it, and so I would.

"Dracula Man!" She shouted off to the side. "Come out here! I have someone for you to fight."

What kind of name was _that_?

A bat emerged from another one of the buildings, flying around me in circles before hovering a few feet in front of me.

With a poof, it transformed into a blue-skinned, spiky haired man wearing boxing gloves, shorts, and with bandages wrapped around his feet. His sharp teeth almost gleamed in the sunlight as he gave me a hungry grin accompanied by a crazed, yet eager look.

**oooo  
Quest "Pass the Initiation" has been forcibly initiated  
Defeat Uranai Baba's fighter!**

**Reward: 3,000 XP, Increased Rep with Uranai Baba  
Failure Penalty: Decreased Rep with Uranai Baba  
oooo**

I instinctively cast **[Observe]** on the creature- for how could it possibly be human?

**oooo  
Dracula Man – Lv 32  
Race – Vampire  
Age – 573**

**HP: 10,000  
MP: 3,000  
Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**An old vampire, Dracula Man wanders the country side from time to time, feasting on the blood of animals. He hates doing this, as humans taste a whole lot better and animals give him a bad case of the shits.**

**However, he is forced to obey Uranai Baba's rules; the only time he's allowed to suck on a human's blood is during a fight his master sanctions.**

**He currently is planning to suck as much blood as he can out of you, as human children are especially delicious in his eyes.**

**Battle Power: 110  
oooo**

This creature was even stronger than General Blue? But, he looked so frail... General Blue had been a very well built, tall man, whereas this guy was gangly and quite thin.

I heard the old hag hum in interest as I sank into my Tiger Stance and waited for his first move.

He began to dance randomly.

"..." I stared incredulously at him for a few moments, feeling a slight flash of anger that was crushed almost instantly.

Ah, so that was his plan. Get me so irritated that I'd try to finish him off from the get-go; my anger would have clouded my senses, which would leave an opening for him to exploit, and thus suck my blood out- not that he could suck anything.

This was actually the worst matchup this guy could have had, I realized. **[Gamer's Body]** won this fight by default. That was assuming he even managed to make it past my **[Mana Shield]**.

Dracula Man kept his dancing up- his patience likely earned after centuries of doing the same thing over and over again. He hadn't realized I was onto him, most likely believing his little routine would compromise me emotionally.

I rushed toward him, ready to spring the trap. He kept on dancing even as I got within a meter of him, throwing a kick that would devastate his exposed ribs.

His eyes flashed dangerously, before a poof enveloped his form. From the smoke, a bat emerged, flying around me and harassing me with screeches and weak attempts at biting me.

I swiped at the air, only to hit nothing. In his bat form, he seemed to be quite the speedster, able to avoid any strike I attempted to land on him.

His small and maneuverable body flew around the arena, attacking me with its sharp teeth, which I avoided only just.

He flew close to me once more, easily avoiding my strikes and flying over my head, before transforming back into his humanoid form with another poof of smoke.

I felt him grab hold of my arms and immobilize them with more strength than even the Ox-King! At least, I could somewhat resist the older man, but this vampire's arms weren't even budging.

What the hell was he made of? I shook the thoughts off while I kicked at the vampire's shin, causing him to hiss loudly, giving me enough time to used my **[Mana Shield] **just in time to feel an impact against my neck.

**-45 MP!**

**-1,200 MP!**

I heard the vampire groan in surprise as I smashed the back of my protected head against his own, giving me an opening.

**-300 MP!**

**-500 MP!**

Yanking my right arm out of his grasp, I activated my **[Tiger Claw]**, feeling the MP drain as I drove my fingers into his left arm, which was still holding onto mine.

With a shriek of agony, the vampire reflexively let go of my hand, pulling his arm away from me, my clawed fingers tearing through his flesh with casual ease, mangling his left arm and leaving a trail of blood between us.

I cast **[Observe]** on him again, watching as he now gave me a genuinely frightened look.

**oooo  
Dracula Man – Lv 32  
Race – Vampire  
Age – 573**

**HP: 4,000/10,000 [Bleeding]  
MP: 2,000/3,000**

**An old vampire, Dracula Man wanders the country side from time to time, feasting on the blood of animals. He hates doing this, as humans taste a whole lot better and animals give him a bad case of the shits.**

**However, he is forced to obey Uranai Baba's rules; the only time he's allowed to suck on a human's blood is during a fight his master sanctions.**

**He currently is seriously considering giving up, feeling himself grow weaker and weaker from all the blood he lost. He is also one step away from shitting his boxing shorts.**

**Battle Power: 72  
oooo**

"I believe I have seen enough." Uranai Baba interjected. "Your use of magic is crude and inefficient, merely using it as a physical instrument to wear as armor or claws. It is also quite wasteful, you will need a fair amount of control lessons."

**oooo  
Quest Complete  
Pass the Initiation**

**Not only have you held your own against Dracula Man, but you've completely defeated him, having the preternaturally strong fighter at your mercy.**

**+3,000 XP! Increased Rep with Uranai Baba!  
oooo**

I absorbed her words with a frown, deactivating my **[Tiger Claw]**and saying nothing in response. I'd thought I did a good job, but it seemed the old hag wasn't impressed.

Those mountain sabrecats were proof that my method worked.

"Frankly, you attempt to use your magic as if you were using your life force." Uranai Baba continued, as if reading my mind. "While it may work to some degree, you will never reach its full potential in this way. Lucky for you, I'm here to whip you up into shape."

"Dracula Man." She glanced sideways at the defeated fighter. "Go and get yourself healed up, you've earned it."

The creature transformed back into a bat, flying away erratically- I guessed the injury would get dragged over into his transformation. It made sense, otherwise one would only need to learn how to transform to heal all injuries.

"Come, child." Baba floated back to the main hall, beckoning for me to follow. "Let us begin your training."

"My name is Ten." I frowned at her somewhat condescending tone.

"You're a funny child." Her even more condescending reply was.

This was going to be miserable, wasn't it?

"Yes." She said smugly.

"How do you _do_ that?"


	18. Chapter 17

**This chapter will **_**probably **_**make some of you hate me.**

**oooo  
Chapter 17  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, Afternoon July 20, Uranai Baba's Palace.**

I sat in one of Baba's smaller rooms on the upper floor of the main hall, giving the old crone a confused look.

"But, I did reach a state of meditation." I replied in confusion.

"Not quite". She replied, sitting atop her perpetually floating crystal ball. Idly, I wondered how much magic this woman had, to be maintaining such a spell for as long as she has.

My MP would have run dry a while back had I attempted that trick.

"Your skill is woefully incomplete." She explained as if she were talking to a small child. "You've clearly learned to be in tune with your own energies, a surprising feat, all things considered— this will shave months off of your schedule. But you're missing a crucial piece of the puzzle."

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion, hoping she'd get to the point. "What could I be missing? I'm already one with myself, as they say."

"_That's_ the problem." She replied, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "You're one with _only yourself_. Even barely so. Magic is a bit more complex than your life force, child."

I frowned at her calling me a child again, but said nothing. She was a well established user of magic. She'd blocked my attempt at using **[Observe]** with an almost casual disregard for it.

She also understood the basics of my powers quite quickly, though not their nature or origins. Hell, if she could figure out their origins, I'd eat my shoes.

Then again, she is a fortune-teller…

I felt a sting to my cheek.

"Focus." She admonished, her hand glowing slightly— she'd stung me with her magic. "Or I might have to take back what I said about your talent."

"Sorry." I said, bowing my head slightly.

She seemed to accept the apology. "Anyway. Magic is a bit more complex than your life force. It has been around for eons, now. When we first began designing our technology, there was magic. When we first rubbed sticks together to create fire, there was magic. Before we'd even existed as a species, magic was there. It has, and always will be here. It has watched our birth, and will likely watch our death."

"You almost make it sound like it's sentient." I said, narrowing my eyes in an attempt to understand.

"Correct." She confirmed. "Perhaps you do catch on quick, after all. The cosmos is not some empty wasteland. Magic itself is alive, and _old._ It has seen many a civilization rise and fall all over the universe."

All over the universe? Did that mean…

"Aliens, yes." Baba waved it off. "Is it truly so surprising?"

"I suppose not, but we've never had concrete proof.." I parroted something I'd heard on a documentary, once.

"Ah, yes." Baba seemed amused. "Scientists and their obsession with proof. They claim my Ghost Usher is a very advanced hologram which responds to basic human commands, questions and the like."

I frowned at that, before shaking the thoughts off, **[Gamer's Mind]** asserting itself and allowing me to focus on the matter at hand.

"Do you do that intentionally?" Uranai Baba asked out of the blue.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Clearing your mind like you do." She said, giving me a frown. "I've seen it occur twice before this; it's quite the effective technique."

"..." I looked at her for a long moment. Had she really picked up on that much?

"It is a.. Technique available to me." I confirmed, stumbling with the word technique. I was so used to calling it a Skill. "Not one I have control over."

"A technique you are not able to control?" Baba said, eyes a little wide with surprise and a dash of incredulity. "Do you realize how dangerous something like that is?"

"Um…" I shrugged, not really understanding her point. "It's never done anything to me before. Why should it matter now?"

The old woman stared at me for a long moment, before pinching at the bridge of her nose, muttering about stupidity running in the family.

Before I could open my mouth to reply, she started talking. "Have you considered that it might possibly be unhealthy to deny yourself the experience of your emotions, child?"

I opened my mouth, and shut it again; I had no answer for that question.

"Well, how about this?" She continued. "Has this technique been activating itself more often, recently?"

It had been; I nodded. "What's that got to do with meditation?"

The old bat looked like she wanted to smash my head in with her crystal ball. Among her incredulous and annoyed mutterings, I heard my name attached to insults. Words like "unbelievably stupid", "idiot savant" were thrown around in the sea of mutters.

"So, you've achieved an incomplete meditative state without correctly managing your emotions. Is that correct?" She asked finally.

"Yes." I confirmed.

"I don't know whether you're the smartest boy on the planet, or the dumbest one." Baba declared after a second. "You shouldn't even be able to use magic. No wonder all of your skills are so horribly inefficient."

She held out a hand, and a light blue ball, similar to my **[Ki Ball]** came out. "You probably also have trouble projecting your magic like this, am I right?"

I nodded again as she dismissed her spell.

She clapped her hands abruptly, startling me.

"Change of plans." She decided. "We'll have to disable this mental technique of yours, so you have to tell me exactly how it functions."

"Ah…" I said, unsure of how to proceed from here. I had never told anyone about this power— even with all of the supernatural feats I've already seen, my power was still too strange to be received well.

At least, that was my opinion on it.

"It's a long story." I stalled, but that only earned me the old woman's annoyance.

"Listen, child." She snapped, and I flinched reflexively. "I invited you over because I knew your father and I know he'd want me to teach you the mystic arts. But, if you're not willing to cooperate with me, then you can go home."

I considered her words seriously. I could just up and leave, and it'd be no skin off my nose. However, I wanted to know what my father was doing here.

Deep down, part of me also realized that she was right. People weren't supposed to deal with their emotions like I have been.

Besides, what could it hurt to tell her?

She was already neck deep in a world of magic; hell, she had dead people and vampires under her beck and call!

With that in mind, I explained my power to her.

"..." She said nothing for a long moment. "Your life now functions as a role playing game, which is how you got strong in a very short amount of time?"

I nodded.

"Do you have any idea where you got it from?" She asked.

"No." I shrugged. "When I questioned it, I actually received a quest that said I need to find out who gave me my power, otherwise the universe will be destroyed."

"The… Universe?" Baba repeated slowly; incredulously. "Destroyed? Surely not."

"That's what it says." I confirmed. "I've been training my ass off since then. Before I gained this power, I couldn't even fend off the neighbor's cat."

Fuck Mr. Grooble and his pet hellspawn. Seriously.

"And now you quite easily defeated Dracula Man." Baba concluded. "Granted, he hasn't eaten in weeks and is considerably weakened, but quite the impressive increase in power on your part."

I didn't reply.

"Still, what you've told me is alarming." She said. "Can you prove that these rewards and failures of these quests of yours are real?"

I considered her question.

"Well, the experience points I gain from them are pretty obvious proof for me." I explained, frowning slightly. "But you're asking for proof that _you_ can see. I'm not sure I can give you any proof on my quests, but you've already detected my **[Gamer's Mind]**."

I slowly and deliberately reached a hand to the side catching her attention, before reaching into my **[Inventory]** and pulling out a small knife.

"That." I said, watching her surprised face. "Was my inventory. And this." I drew a cut on my hand.

**-100 HP**

With a wince, I showed her the cut, which was a simple, slightly glowing red line over my palm.

"Is my **[Gamer's Body]**." I finished, giving the woman a serious look. I'd never shared this information with anyone, before.

"Show me this 'inventory' again." Baba demanded.

Blinking, I acquiesced and pushed the knife back inside the **[Inventory]. **It disappeared and reappeared in one of the inventory slots.

"Unconscious manipulation of space-time, what sort of power is this?" Baba said incredulously. "Even the gods would have trouble to do something like this… at least, the ones I know."

"Wait, gods?" I blurted out. "Those exist?"

"Yes. You didn't think spirits of the dead existed without actual deities guiding them in the Otherworld, did you?" The old hag chided before truly looking at me.

"Incredible mental control, the negation of crippling moves, the inability to bleed, fully healing after sleeping for one night, unconscious manipulation of space-time magic, have I missed anything?" Baba wrote down in a small notepad she produced from.. somewhere.

Could she use an inventory skill like mine?

"I can't get tired, really." I added. "I can exercise at full blast for 3 hours before being forced to stop for 30 minutes by the system— but if I stop just a while before the time limit and wait, I can start all over again."

"So, pseudo-endless stamina…?" Baba said wryly, before shaking her head. "You said something about skills?"

"Yes." I nodded. "I can essentially learn any skill. At first, it's weak, but the more I level it, the better I automatically get at the skill."

"Is there a limit to this?" Baba asked.

"If there is, I haven't found one yet." I replied truthfully.

".. Right." She looked like she was going to have an aneurysm. "And your attributes?"

"STR for strength. VIT for vitality. AGI for agility. INT for intelligence and WIS for wisdom." I listed. "I can raise each stat individually by training— for STR, weight training raises it, for VIT, just a lot of endurance runs, and so on."

"I don't think there's a limit to this, either." I threw in. "Also, with every level up, I gain 5 points to put into my stats."

"And do you have any points kept in reserve?" Baba asked.

"Yes, 57 points. I can effectively double any stat I currently have, but I've wanted to raise my stats the old fashioned way." I replied.

"One of the wiser things you have done." Baba snorted, her crystal ball shaking slightly before calming down. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn the crystal was laughing at me.

It was probably just my imagination.

"Anything else?" She asked, looking over her paper for a month before turning her gaze to me.

I shook my head in reply. "That's about it."

"Very well." Baba said, rubbing at the bridge of her nose again. "We'll have to devise another training regimen for you, judging by all this new information."

I didn't reply.

"I will contact Roshi." She said, floating around the room, frowning thoughtfully. "Assuming this power of yours is accurate, I can't have you pissing away your time solely doing physical training on some remote island."

"But how am I supposed to train in the Turtle Style?" I asked, a mixture of indignation and irritation welling up inside me.

"The 'Turtle Style', he says." Baba cackled, before fixing me with an amused look. "There is no turtle style, child."

That threw me for a loop. I opened my mouth to reply, before she cut me off.

"Roshi doesn't teach forms." She explained abruptly. "I've seen him train the old ox and that Son Gohan-" she got an odd look in her eyes when she mentioned that name, though it was there for such a short period of time I made me question whether I'd imagined it or not.

"His training is pure physical enhancement; something that you can do here. And." She cut off my reply again. "Before you say it, you will be allowed to train physically, as long as it does not interfere with your magic studies. Understood?"

I stared at her for a good while, before nodding in acquiescence.

"Good. Now, assume your meditative position but do not attempt to meditate just yet." She ordered, watching as I sat on the floor. "Adjust your posture, it's too rigid. Lean forward slightly. Your hands don't need to make a Zen sign, that's just nonsense on TV. Open palms facing up will suffice."

I adjusted myself accordingly as she continued to speak. "Focus on your innermost feelings. Focus on things that upset you; things you genuinely regret doing."

The sound of snapping necks, the feeling of blood on my hands, the feeling that it would never wash out, the sheer overwhelming guilt— **[Gamer's Mind]** exerted itself and suppressed the feeling.

"Do you see, now?" Baba's voice rang. "Grasp onto that feeling, and end it."

"..." I didn't reply, still trying to focus on the feelin.

I killed them. I ended them like it was nothing. I felt nothing. How could I have felt nothing? What was wrong with me— I felt the emotions leach away into nothing once more, but focused my thoughts on the process.

Stop **[Gamer's Mind]**, I kept repeating in my head. Over and over and over.

The ringing sound drew me to reality. I stared in surprise at the window before me.

**oooo  
Ping!**

**You have mentally attempted to disable [Gamer's Mind]. Is this the course you wish to take?**

**Accept/Deny  
oooo**

I pressed on Accept.

A wave of emotions hit me with the strength of twenty General Blues on steroids as a new window appeared.

**oooo  
Due to disabling one of your passives, the Skills section has been updated in order to grant you the option to disable all learned passives. Simply long-press on the skill in question, and it will toggle it.  
oooo**

I dismissed the window almost as an afterthought, currently overwhelmed with sheer emotion.

"You've done it, then." Baba's voice brought my attention to her. "Resume your position."

I blinked, noticing that I was no longer in a meditative pose. Frowning, I assumed it again.

"This will take patience." Uranai Baba explained. "Having suppressed emotions for months will make it more difficult, but you'll be able to reasonably deal with it."

"What… do I do?" I tried to speak, but my throat was so constricted I almost had to force the words out.

"To succeed in perfect meditation, you must have a calm heart." Baba said, her voice crisp and clear. "Shortcuts will only yield a limited result in comparison."

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat and taking long, deep breaths in a way to calm my heart.

"Good. Proper breathing is key." Baba praised. "But that's the easiest part. You must confront your emotions."

'How was I supposed to be able to do that?' I wanted to say.

"You are even easier to read now." Baba almost sounded amused. "There is no set method on doing this. Some people decide to take all of their emotions all at once. Some confront their feelings, one at a time. It varies, really."

A half remembered factoid about the chakras came to mind.

"Are the seven chakras real?" I tried, remembering an old book I had dismissed a long time ago when I was first attempting to access my Ki.

"Yes, in a sense." Baba confirmed. "What do you know of the chakras?"

"Not much, really." I admitted. "I was trying to access my Ki, and I thought a book on the chakras would help me, but it was—"

"Nonsense spread about to lull the rich folk into a sense of security when it comes to their place on this earth." Baba finished. I could tell she was rolling her eyes, even when mine were closed. "However, the chakras are real— but they will not help you in this. You are too young to make the attempt."

"Too young?" I repeated, feeling a great well of indignation over such a seemingly innocent comment.

"Yes." Baba replied, not sounding apologetic in the slightest. "There is no danger involved, of course. However, it would be a waste of your time, as you're still in your teenage years— a tumultuous, emotional period of any person's development. You are unfit to even consider trying it."

I struggled to keep my emotions in check, realizing the old bat is right. How could I undergo such training if I could barely keep my current emotions from raging?

"Perhaps a change of scenery would do you some good." She nodded to herself, before floating slowly out of the room. I opened my eyes and got back to my feet, following her out of the palace back to the arena on which I'd fought the day before.

"Go on and sit by the water." She ordered, and I complied, resuming my previous meditative position on the edge of the arena.

"Listen to the world around you, _listen_ to the flow of the water." Baba instructed. "Focus on it. Let yourself be swept up in the currents. Link your energies to it— be one with the water."

With a frown of concentration, I brought my hands together, letting my Ki and magic flow outwards, two swirling tendrils of power licking at the air for a few moments, before latching onto the water.

This is.. Water?

No.

This is life, I realized. I could feel it writhing with energy. The fish, the crabs, the frogs, the plants, the bacteria; each with a sliver of energy.

There was more to it, I noticed. I saw where the water linked with the land and earth, and realized I was feeling their energies as well.

I felt it all, jumbled up together in a chaotic, yet entrancing balance.

None of it made any sense. Yet, it also did.

It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever felt in my life.

"This is the flow of the world." Baba's words reached me from somewhere.

"It's unlike anything I've ever felt." I almost whispered, my face feeling strangely wet for some reason. "It's beautiful."

"And yet, you still hold yourself back from it." She replied.

"What I did…" I said with a frown, my perception of the world's flow shimmering dangerously, as if unraveling and leaving my grasp.

"What did you do, child?" The soft question came, cracking the dam over my emotions.

The dam broke.

"I.. I killed those men." I blurted out as the world's flow shimmered even more. "Like they were nothing. I ended them. They tried to kill me but I ended them to survive. I think part of me even enjoyed it. How can I enjoy killing?"

My thoughts focused on those thugs I'd hurt when defending Mark, that night. I could have just as easily killed them, and I wouldn't have felt a thing, would I have?

"Focus on the world's flow, child." Baba instructed. "Let your emotions flow out into the world. Recognize that you were defending your own life. There is no shame in this, or in feeling satisfaction from it. You are only human."

You are only human.

Only human.

Human.

That was what I was.

I really was human.

I'd almost forgotten that.

I faintly realized the wetness on my cheeks was my tears, flowing out of me— flowing just the like the water I linked myself to.

I let go, feeling the dam over my emotions be entirely eradicated.

I'd abandoned my meditative position, the sheer weight of it all crashing down on me, putting me on my hands and knees. I was sobbing, I could tell, but I couldn't stop anymore.

I didn't want to stop.

My father's death. Escaping into games. The rejection I felt. The crushing loneliness. The hatred I felt for everyone for putting me in this situation. The hatred I felt for myself for doing the same thing. My guilt. My fear. My anger. My hate. My love. Suppressing it all and escaping even further.

It all flowed, and flowed, and flowed, until there was nothing but myself and the world— it had taken all of my feelings, all of my energy, and had not changed in the least.

The realization slowly came.

It had not changed because I was already a part of it.

I always have been.

More tears came, but this time they were tears of happiness.

I belonged here.

"This is my home." I whispered almost imperceptibly, swallowing down another lump. "I am Ten. I belong here. I _**belong**_here."

How long it took until I slowly came back to myself, I didn't know.

I looked up, realizing it was already well into the night, what with the full moon floating high up in the air. I felt drained, more drained than I ever have been before.

My face and mouth felt so very dry. My throat also felt quite hoarse, as I attempted to speak only to fail miserably.

Uranai Baba was nowhere to be seen— she probably wanted me to have some privacy while I had my little episode, I assumed.

I began to read through all of the notifications I received.

**oooo  
Ping!  
You've broken through your own mental and emotional limiters!**

**Meditation has gained five levels!**

**Meditation (Lv 25 - 0% / Active, Passive): Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases HP/Ki/MP regeneration by 200%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 34%.**

**oooo**

**Tiger Claw's cost has been reduced to 200 MP/Hand.**

**Mana Shield's activation cost is still the same, but can now absorb damage equivalent to 130% of your MP.**

**oooo**

**Having gone through an experience of great introspection as well as a certain level of enlightenment, you have gained 10 WIS!**

**oooo**

**You have earned 10,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**You have gained a level!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 21 (4,200/22,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 7,915  
MP: 7,950  
Ki: 10,074**

**STR: 53 (91.18)  
VIT: 65 (111.8)  
AGI: 53 (91.18)  
INT: 65 (87.1)  
WIS: 73 (97.82)**

**Points: 62**

**Battle Power: 98**

**oooo**

That… was a _lot_ of progress.

I felt a flash of annoyance at the way I'd been limiting myself the whole time. Simply confronting my emotions was the key to further level my **[Meditation]**, as well improve drastically on my magic.

The annoyance persisted after a few moments, I realized.

"**[Gamer's Mind]** is no longer active, is it?" I said out loud. Opening my **[Skills]** window, I saw that the skill in question was grayed out. "Let's keep it that way, for now."

I'd only use it when the situation was dire, I vowed to myself. Never again during my day-to-day activities.

The system said I could disable any of my passives, now, which meant… I stared at **[Martial Arts]** and **[Meditation]**, long-pressing on both skills until they were grayed out like my **[Gamer's Mind]**.

The effect was immediate. My Ki, HP and MP pools all shrank noticeably, my base attributes no longer boosted by my passives.

This would be good for training, I decided.

But first… I should probably head back inside.

Hopefully the old bat wouldn't give me a hard time over my little episode, I thought as I came back into the main hall, feeling extremely tired.

"Done with the waterworks, then?" Her amused voice came from the center of the main room.

Damn it...


	19. Chapter 18

**oooo  
Chapter 18  
oooo**

**Age 749, Wednesday, Noon August 7, Uranai Baba's Palace.**

I sat serenely near the water, merely existing in tune with everything around me. It was almost all I'd done in the past two weeks and a half, since unlocking the true power of my **[Meditation]**.

I barely paid attention to the chime signifying that the skill had gained another level.

**oooo**

**Meditation (Lv 30 - 4% / Active, Passive): Both wizards and martial artists have learned how to harness the power of meditation to improve their bodies as well as their minds. It purifies magic and Ki and allows the user to more freely use his power. Actively increases HP/Ki/MP regeneration by 200%. Passively increases STR, AGI, VIT, INT and WIS by 39%.**

**oooo**

Breaking out of my meditative state, I got to my feet and began to run, exiting the palace and running along the shoreline of the great lake.

Yet, I still felt one with the world around me, my Ki continually reaching out to touch anything it could reach. Windows popped up every time my Ki touched an object or animal, showing me the corresponding target's statistics.

**oooo**

**You've gained +1 VIT!**

**Ki User has gained a level!**

**Ki User (Lv 26 - 12%/Passive): Ki is like a muscle, the more you exert it, the more powerful it becomes! 35% Increase in your Ki pool.**

**Insight has gained a level!**

**Insight (Lv 45- 1%/Active): Having incorporated your Ki and magic power in the skill, Observe has evolved into Insight. The higher the skill, the greater the data obtained. Insight will show your target's HP/MP/Ki, their level, age, race, as well as their battle power.**

**20% Ability to go unnoticed past an enemy's mental resistance.**

**oooo**

I would have barely recognized myself two weeks ago, I thought as I stopped to practice a few Tiger Kata, feeling my currently unenhanced body protest against the weighted clothing bestowed on me by Uranai Baba's powers. Magic Materialization, she called it.

I'd already seen major gains from it, and so I dutifully went through all of the motions, before running through the motions of the Palm Karate Style, punching, elbowing, kneeing and kicking at an invisible enemy.

**oooo**

**You've gained +1 STR and AGI!**

**oooo**

I kept going, not tiring out in the slightest. **[Gamer's Mind] **might have been a major hindrance to me, but **[Gamer's Body]** was the complete opposite, allowing me to train almost nonstop without any risks.

I'd been seeing gains like this since Uranai Baba had given me the weighted shirt, pants, and armbands— though, my stats were increasing by increments of 2 and 3 when I was first starting out.

Still, progress was progress, I thought after another hour of training. I heard a chime coming from the palace, Baba had likely finished with her customers, for now.

I brought my **[Status]** window up and read through its contents.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 21 (7,200/22,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: [5,770] ; 13,148  
MP: [6,663] ; 10,238  
Ki: [7,605] ; 17,332**

**STR: [74] ; 130.98  
VIT: [85] ; 150.45  
AGI: [77] ; 136.29  
INT: [78] ; 107.64  
WIS: [82] ; 113.16**

**Points: 62**

**Battle Power: [78.7], 139.2**

**Weighted BP: 40**

**oooo**

It was interesting, I had once thought it was odd that the old Master Roshi had two different Battle Powers, but it made perfect sense now. He had his base state, and then his enhanced state.

Of course, he likely wasn't able to keep up his enhanced state at all times, which is why he only used it sparingly, where I could do it with no issue due to **[Gamer's Body]**.

I'd checked.

The palace came into view. I frowned at the sight.

There was a group of five men wearing gis waiting in line as another couple walked out of the building looking pleased. The men eyed me as I walked past them.

One of them grabbed my shoulder, giving me a shove. "Back of the line, kid."

I snorted, and continued walking. "I live here."

The same man made to follow me, but was stopped by the Ghost Usher's appearance, telling the group to wait as Uranai Baba was taking a short break.

Fortune-telling was a tough job, after all. I snorted in amusement.

"Ah, Ten." Baba greeted, offering me a bottle of water. "You're back."

I nodded in reply, taking the bottle and drinking greedily from it. I might not have been able to physically tire, but my body still required water and the like.

"New guests." I said after a gulp. "Usher's talking to them right now. They look like fighters. I didn't really scan them, so I can't really say how strong they are."

She looked at me for a moment, before waving it off. "You've already defeated the previous group single handedly."

I shrugged with a slight wince. "Yeah, I probably should've disabled my passive effects back then, but—"

"Yes, you wanted to see how you stacked up against others." Baba rolled her eyes, before staring down at her crystal ball. She hummed, before cackling and looking at me.

"Perhaps this is the best time to test your aptitude at magic." Baba grinned. "You will keep your weighted clothing and remain unenhanced. You will defeat them using basic fighting, as well as your current repertoire of magic."

I frowned, but nodded, focusing my attention to Ghost Ushers and the cocky fighters standing behind him— each one an adult, musclebound and menacing.

"We're here for our fortune to be told." The lead man, a great big, bald fellow in a red gi grinned fiercely, his cronies chuckling along with him.

"Is that so..." Uranai Baba seemed almost amused. "Very well. I charge 10,000,000 Zeni for my services."

The grin never fell off his face. "We don't have that much, but we want to fight your warriors for it— that's the other deal you have going on, isn't it? We defeat your warriors, and you tell us a fortune for free."

"That is indeed how it goes." Uranai Baba confirmed after a second of silence, the look in her eyes shifting from amused to slightly expectant. "You'll only be going against one fighter in this instance."

She pointed at me.

The group stared at me for a long moment, before erupting into laughter. "He's just a pipsqueak! You expect us to fight this runt?"

I felt the great well of irritation, but pushed it down with the practiced ease of someone who'd gone against terrible odds and made it out in one piece.

I walked towards the arena, waving for the men to follow me. They threw insults the whole way to the arena, but followed me regardless.

**oooo**

"**Defeat the Challengers" forcibly initiated!**

**Uranai Baba has made you fight yet another group of muscle heads out to get a free fortune out of her. This time, however, she staked the result solely on the fight against you. You must defeat every single one of the challengers while you're effectively handicapped, or suffer Baba's annoyance.**

**Reward: 5,000 XP, ?  
Failure Penalty: Decreased Rep with Uranai Baba**

**oooo**

I stared as the fighters stood on the bridge, arguing between each other, likely choosing who was to be the first in their line up.

Eventually, one of the fighters stood before me, flexing his impressively sculpted muscles under his gi.

I wondered what he'd think if he saw my muscles— covered as they were by my weighted, long sleeve shirt, I had no way to tell.

My Ki reached out, latching onto the brown haired man and invoking **[Insight].**

**oooo  
Strong Fist Student**

**Moran - Lv 13  
Race - Human  
Age - 22**

**HP: 3,000  
Ki: 800**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Moran is a student of the Strong Fist, a style specializing in blunt force, meant to snap and crush bone. He is here to aid his master in acquiring a free fortune.**

**He is planning on giving you a beatdown.**

**Battle Power: 48  
oooo**

The man before me grinned, showing a few missing teeth as he sank into his stance. It was somewhat similar to a karate stance, though a little less formal and more.. Forward, I figured?

It reminded me of Mark, that night he had been fighting for profit. I wondered if he was still doing that, before shaking my head and refocusing on the matter at hand.

"Begin!" Baba cried, and the match was on.

I watched him rush towards me, launching a roundhouse kick that would've been sure to knock me out, but I backed away slightly, having seen it coming a mile away.

As I backed away, I lashed out at his exposed knee with a kick, sending the much older man tumbling down with a cry of agony.

Stepping back a moment, I stared as he attempted to get back up, only to fail midway through, unable to put any weight on his damaged knee.

"I didn't break it." I finally broke the silence. "But, if you keep going like that, you just might. I suggest you rejoin your group— let someone else try."

"Who—who are you?" The defeated man asked.

"My name's Ten." I replied.

"South City's Ten!?" One of the fighters answered in shock. "I knew you seemed familiar! You won Central's Martial Arts Games!"

I blinked.

That felt like a lifetime ago— current me could easily destroy the me that won the tournament.

"Doesn't matter!" The leader called out. "He can't beat five people back to back with no rest. Get in there, Dorek."

Another man with an unfortunately huge nose stepped forward, settling into his stance—

"Forget waiting!" The leader shouted at his underling. "Just attack him with everything you've got!"

I had no time to check this fighter out, I realized as he rushed me like his friend did. Did they have no sense of propriety?

He went on the offensive, attempting to barrel into me. I dodged the odd move, and made to counter, but the man stopped, stepping away with a cautious eye.

Ah, he'd learned from his friend's inglorious defeat, hadn't he?

Not that it mattered. Let him keep his distance.

**-800 MP!**

"**[Dazzle]**." I incanted, waving my right hand from left to right, as if I was wiping a window.

The other fighters made quips, or looked confused as to what I was doing, until my enemy— Dorek, I reminded myself— began to freak out, running off the platform and away from me as fast as he could.

"What the hell was that!?" The leader shouted at his underling, who didn't even acknowledge him as he ran back into the palace, screaming all the way. He turned back to me. "What did you do, boy!"

I didn't answer, merely smirking in amusement at the sight.

**[Dazzle]** really was a useful spell, I thought with glee.

It was the first spell the old hag ever taught me. Quite simple, really, it put an enemy under an illusion for a short period of time. The illusions were random, and simply meant to distract someone for a bit, giving me the chance to knock them out with a good whack to the head.

I guessed that the man had seen something he was afraid of— that was probably distracting. Magic could be a cruel bitch sometimes, I was slowly beginning to realize.

"Next!" Baba called out, ignoring the protests of the leader. "You wanted to get your fortune told, but believe it's unfair that your enemy uses magic?"

That shut him up— for a few moments, anyway. "Can we come at him, all at the same time?"

I latched my Ki and magic onto theirs immediately, reading through the three windows quickly as Baba turned to look at me, an inquisitive look on her face.

**oooo  
Strong Fist Prodigy**

**Laren - Lv 18  
Age - 20  
Race - Human**

**HP: 4,000  
Ki: 1,400**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Disliked**

**An expert at the Strong Fist Style, Laren has been personally taught by the master for years, and even occasionally teaches the classes.**

**Laren is currently planning on defeating you, to avenge the insult you've leveled towards their dojo with your dirty tactics.**

**Battle Power: 63  
oooo**

Dirty tactics? They were about to fight me three-on-one! I read through the others.

**oooo  
Strong Fist Student**

**Fan - Lv 11  
Age - 17  
Race - Human**

**HP: 2,700  
Ki: 200**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Only recently having unlocked his Ki, Fan wishes to become a great student at the Strong Fist school.**

**He does not wish to gang up on a kid, no matter how strong he is, but he will do as his master commands.**

**Battle Power: 35  
oooo**

**Strong Fist Master**

**Nogona - Lv 24  
Age - 35  
Race - Human**

**HP: 6,000  
Ki: 3,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Greatly Disliked**

**A greedy man, Nogona wishes to know the numbers for the next lottery so that he can make it big and no longer worry about expenses for his dojo, as well as the lawsuit leveled against him for being too "hard" on his students.**

**He also wants to break a few of your bones for disrespecting him.**

**Battle Power: 83**

**oooo**

Wow, the last guy really needed some anger management classes, I thought as I dismissed the windows. "I'll do it. I'll fight them all at once."

"Very well." Baba said, eyes glinting in mischievousness as the three older fellows faced off against me. "You may begin."

Frowning in concentration, I slapped my hands together and molded the magic.

**-1,500 MP!**

"**[Accelerate]**." I incanted, glowing yellow for a moment.

**oooo**

**You are now under the [Accelerate] buff!**

**Accelerate: Increases movement speed by 35% for 5 minutes.**

**oooo**

I ducked and weaved past the three men's charges, grabbing onto the weakest one and throwing him right into the water.

The other two didn't even give the screaming hapless boy a second glance, continuing their relentless onslaught even as he splashed face first into the lake.

Even with my spell-enhanced speed, it was all I could do to avoid their combined onslaught.

The two worked well as a team, defending each other's blind spots, and alternating their attacks to disorient me.

**-800 MP!**

Throwing **[Dazzle]** on the second strongest one, Laren, I moved the fight away from the guy, engaging in high speed melee with the Strong Fist Master.

"You dodge well, boy." The old man begrudgingly praised as we split apart, hearing a splash of water indicating Laren's disqualification. "But can you take a hit?"

I blinked, an idea forming in response to the challenge presented.

"Give me your best shot." I said confidently, focusing on the remainder of my magic. I had to time this just right.

It was one of the newer skills I'd unlocked, but its use was extremely limited, with a ridiculous cooldown between uses.

The large man grinned victoriously as he watched me assume the horse stance, ready to receive whatever punishment he planned on doling out.

He dashed towards me, his face an expression of exertion as he launched the strongest punch he could manage at me, hoping to end the fight in one shot.

Too late.

**-3,000 MP!**

"**[Ironize]!"** I incanted, feeling my MP bar deplete almost completely as the skill took effect, turning the consistency of my skin and bone into hard steel for the moment it took the man to land his punch.

**-400 HP!**

A loud snap was heard as his fist impacted my chin, not moving me in the slightest.

The older man stared at me in incomprehension, before the pain kicked in, making him cry out in agony as his two students were pulled out of the water and escorted to the bridge.

I stared at him for a second, watching as he sank to his knees, the fight completely taken out of him.

"I surrender!" He cried out and made a break for it, his students following him like lost little chickens.

Uranai Baba slowly floated towards me, watching as the men ran along the shoreline, entering a flying car and flying off into the distance— probably towards a hospital or something.

**oooo  
"Defeat the Challengers" complete!**

**You have single handedly defeated five martial artists with no rest, under your weighted clothes, and without any passive enhancements to your attributes.**

**5000 XP!**

**You have gained two levels in Martial Arts!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 40 - 12%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 41%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

"Well done, Ten." Baba praised as I dismissed the windows. "You've greatly improved over the past two weeks of your tutelage."

"Thank you, teacher." I replied as I took a deep breath, following the old woman as she began to float back into the main hall.

"I actually might have a job for you, soon." She divulged after we came back inside. Her crystal ball glowed slightly in tune with her words.

"A job?" I repeated, sounding dubious. "Another band of fighters again?"

"Not quite." She retorted, staring and focusing into her crystal ball. "I've been getting a strange feeling north of here. Negative energy swirling around the world."

I stared into her crystal ball, latching my energy onto it, before flinching at the _wrongness_ of what it felt.

"What _is_ that?" I asked outright.

"I'm not sure." She rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "But it's weak, still. Part of my agreement with the gods is that I oversee issues such as this."

"You want me to deal with this, then?" I surmised with a frown.

"I would have sent the others, but Mummy-kun is still recovering from his last fight." Baba explained. "Dracula Man and Akkuman are preoccupied with another duty, far north at the Yunzabit Heights."

"I'm your only choice, then." It all made sense. "Is that what you were calling me for, earlier? Well, before the interruption.."

"They proved to be an adequate test." Baba waved the last part off. "You defeated five men, each either close to your level of strength, or surpassing it entirely. You're ready for this."

**oooo  
Quest Alert**

"**Demon Bane" forcibly initiated.**

**Head north, and investigate the disturbance in the world's flow!**

**Reward: 15,000 XP, ?  
Failure Penalty: Death  
oooo**

"Judging by the look on your face, I can see that you've discerned some disturbing information." Uranai Baba commented.

"The quest's name is 'Demon Bane'." I divulged.

"Even now your powers continue to surprise me." Baba said, eyebrows raised. "Limited precognition? Or just a fancy naming sense?"

"I'm not sure either way." I replied honestly.

"Whatever it is, be careful out there. You leave tomorrow." Baba said seriously, uncharacteristically so. "The spot I felt this shift— it's near where I felt your father last before…"

Whatever reply I had died in my throat. I cleared it a few times, before swallowing the lump down harshly.

Maybe I can finally get some answers..?


	20. Chapter 19

**oooo  
Chapter 19  
oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, Morning August 8, Uranai Baba's Palace.**

Slowly coming back into consciousness, I opened my eyes, groaning and immediately scrunching them shut as the light pierced through. I winced in irritation, gently rubbing at them.

Half a minute later, I opened them again, slowly adjusting to the light, seeing the usual window floating off to the side.

**oooo**

**You have slept on a bed! HP, MP and Ki fully restored!**

**oooo**

I dismissed it with a wave, deciding to stay in bed for just a little while longer as my mind caught up with yesterday's events.

Just getting to sleep had been tough enough; the excitement, the trepidation had hit me hard.

Even weeks after disabling **[Gamer's Mind]**, I was still unused to feeling things.

I think, worse yet, the fact that I had been actively suppressing my emotions has dialed up their intensity.

Or, rather, it had muted their 'kick', so to speak.

The end result was the same of course. All of my emotional reactions were magnified now. The first week had been a complete struggle to maintain a hold of myself.

It would've been so much easier to shut it all off and go back to being a machine which somewhat resembled a human in appearance and mannerisms.

Just one long-press and voilà! No more pesky feelings; but, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I willingly went down that route once again.

So, I grit my teeth and sailed through the figurative storm of emotion. I was still sailing, actually.

"Work in progress," I muttered as I finally got off the mattress, putting on the weighted clothes with ease.

I exited the room, and made my way down to the palace main hall, where Baba and the Usher were waiting for me, probably to see me off, I figured.

"Take this." She said, holding her hand out after we exchanged greetings. It was a small phial, filled with a purple liquid. Activating **[Insight]**, I read through the contents of the window that appeared.

**oooo**

**Mana Vial (Minor)**

**Item: Potion  
Class:**** Arcane  
****Description: Restores 2,000 MP. Consumed upon use. Has the taste of syrup, but the consistency of water.**

**oooo**

"..." I turned to look at the old hag in question. "Will I learn how to do this?"

"It'll depend on your aptitude, really." Uranai Baba replied, waving it off. "Many simply don't have the patience, or the skill to be able to concoct magic restoratives."

Which meant, with my Gamer ability, I could probably do it regardless.

"I see the gears turning in your mind." Baba rolled her eyes. "It is a very difficult path to take— I fear you wouldn't have the time to do so."

"What do you mean?" I asked, sounding slightly confused. "It's just following a recipe and mixing ingredients together, right?"

The old bat barked a laugh at that.

"The foolishness of youth…" She said with a shake of her head. "Potion-making is an art, child. It is not like chemistry or cooking. You do not simply follow a recipe. You **understand **it, you put every fiber of your being, your soul into it."

I remained silent as she continued. "Not only that, but each and every ingredient must be gathered by **you** personally."

That… would certainly put another level of difficulty into the craft, wouldn't it?

"You are beginning to understand." She nodded. "Some ingredients, you have to grow yourself, even. I remember, a long time ago, I was making a potion to keep my skin from ever getting wrinkly— I had to grow one of my ingredients in a desert environment, a few hour's walk away from an oasis. It took a month for it to fully grow, and, when the time came to harvest it, I made the mistake of doing it five minutes earlier than I should have. Thus, it failed."

"Maybe such a path isn't for me, then." I decided as I tried to absorb the sheer time and sacrifice put into this singular endeavor.

"Much of the stronger magics require sacrifice." Baba stated as if she didn't even hear me. "Amateurs decide to use the easiest thing available, blood sacrifice. It's messy, chaotic, but gets the job done somewhat. The perfect tool for someone aiming to cause destruction and the like. Truly powerful magic requires higher sacrifices; hard work, mental resolve, time, all of these I put into my potion. It is not **simply a recipe**."

"I'm sorry for making it sound like that." I apologized, wincing at my thoughtlessness.

"Apology accepted." The old woman replied, mollified.

"Why didn't you ever decide to do it again?" I asked curiously.

"Doing it once was very draining— mentally, physically and spiritually." Baba said, shrugging as she floated on the crystal ball. "I would rather not do so again."

"I understand." I replied, disagreeing with her but not willing to argue the point. I took the potion, sliding it into my inventory and giving her a nod.

"Take note." She said, patting her crystal ball. "I felt the strange energy out some more a bit earlier. It seems you may truly be able to tell the future in some limited way."

"So, Demon Bane—" I stopped short.

"—Yes, the energy in question is of demonic origin. Why exactly it's surfacing _here_, I have no idea. It has done so before, once. I didn't understand it then, and I do not understand it now."

I frowned.

She was talking about my father.

"The trip itself will take you around a day's time." Baba continued. "Your job is to investigate the region, perhaps find the source. If you feel you can deal with the problem, do so. If you find yourself outmatched, then try to stall for as long as you can. Akkuman is uniquely suited for jobs like this, but he is still busy in the Yunzabit Heights— an old ice demon reported to have awakened from a deep slumber."

Akkuman, I hadn't even met the guy yet, but he seemed to be a frightful fellow, if he can take care of a problem that big.

"...How often does something like this happen?" I asked after a moment.

"Often enough that I keep five fighters on retainer— at least one of them strong enough to deal with such threats." Baba replied. "Do you think I tell people's fortunes for fun?"

I absorbed her words. She likely paid the warriors to fight challengers, as well as go against various demons that pop up on the Earth.

"I think you watch your fighters against random groups for fun." I replied. "Not that I can blame you; watching idiots go in way over their heads and get kicked around is pretty entertaining."

"Just so." She said, waving me away. "Go on, now. Off with you. We'll resume your lessons when you're finished with the job."

I gave a nod, before exiting the palace, the main doors of the entrance closing behind me with a loud slam.

I would be back.

"If I live through this, anyway." I muttered under my breath before starting on my journey.

Pulling a NutriBar out of my inventory— it was light-years better than whatever Baba had her cook whip up in the kitchen— I took a bite of the bland food.

It was strange, really.

I used to really dislike these rations, often going to restaurants or fast food joints whenever I had the opportunity.

However, after dealing with Baba's strange and often disgusting taste in food, I began to realize that the ration bars just weren't so bad.

I headed north, walking along the the lakeshore until the palace was but a small speck behind me, before breaking off of the lake and heading straight north.

The land gradually shifted from lowlands to highlands.

The seemingly boundless fields of green north of lake began to make way for various rocky outcroppings, jutting from the earth in completely random fashion, showcasing part of the larger story of the Earth's tectonic shifts over the billions of years it'd taken for it to form.

"Demon Bane." I said out loud, keeping my senses peeled as my Ki and Magic licked out at the air around me, feeling out for whatever energy I had felt when interacting with the crystal ball the day before.

Nothing.

I reeled in my 'lures', so to speak, before continuing on through the increasingly rocky territory. Dozens of minutes passed, with no sign of any disturbance in the energy of the world around me.

Wait.

I stopped for a moment, turning my attention to my right. I felt... Something. It was very faint, but I could just about detect it.

It didn't register as an animal or human, or like anything I'd ever felt before. The energy was strangely slimy, and felt somewhat hot, like grabbing a plate fresh out of the microwave.

What could it be?

I'd need to get much closer if I were to invoke **[Insight] **onto whatever the source of the energy was. With that in mind, I changed directions and trekked towards it, keeping my guard up.

I felt it more clearly with every step I took towards it, feeling a shiver creep up my spine. Something about it felt so out place.

This didn't belong here.

It mingled with the flow of the Earth, but it was as if the Earth's energy tried its best to avoid it- a futile gesture, but one of some significance, I thought.

I stopped, re-orienting myself and moving slowly up one of the larger rocky outcroppings here. The disturbance was at its top, it would take me about ten minutes to get up there.

A few presses in my **[Inventory]**, and I felt lighter than ever, having switched the weighted clothes with a different set. One that Baba had materialized for me as a joke a few days into my training, but I'd taken quite the shine to it.

She'd even made in my preferred colors. I definitely would need to learn **[Magic Materialization]** one of these days. Uranai Baba had said I'd need to be quite adept at magic before even considering such a skill.

My own attempt at recreating it had ended up wasting a day's worth of training. That was when she'd materialized the current outfit I was wearing: a dark green tunic held by a brown belt, grey trousers, and brown boots.

"This is so cool." I crowed for the briefest of moments, before my gleeful gaze turned serious once more as my probes felt the energy spike.

I began to climb the outcropping, the mountain climbing experience making things much easier this time around. Knowing what to avoid, how to grab onto ledges, and other things really helped in that regard.

Before I knew it, I grabbed onto the final ledge, pulling myself up easily. I saw it as I got to my feet, dusting myself off almost absently as I stared into the hole in reality.

"What..." I said out loud, probing it and invoking **[Insight]**.

**oooo**

**Hole in Reality**

**It is a hole in reality, achieved through the breaking of dimensional barriers. It links this world to an unknown destination. Its source is equally unknown.**

**oooo**

A hole in reality? I balked for a few moments at the portal, before turning to leave. Uranai Baba needed to know of this.

But then I stopped, feeling the portal's energy spike once more. I turned to inspect it further, not really understanding what was going on.

Another pulse.

The hole became larger, probably big enough to fit a small child through. Something was feeding it energy. But... what?

I swallowed the reflexive fear down, taking deep breaths to calm myself, before examining the hole in reality more closely. I probed it further, waiting until the next spike.

It came a few minutes later, widening the portal once more. I felt a trace of energy going straight down, into the ground. Something in the ground was doing this?

I moved my energy through the ground, trying to feel for whatever it was down there, but I detected nothing.

Whatever was down there was so far deep underground that I had no chance of sensing it.

Plus, something that deep down had to have been _old_. Like, millions of years old. I doubted I'd be able to sense it if it weren't for the intermittent pulses coming from the portal.

I watched as the portal pulsed again, growing wide enough to be able to squeeze in someone my size.

Pulling a capsule from my inventory, I ran the numbers in my head, before putting the capsule back. If this really was a hole leading to the demon world, then going back to the old hag could be a big mistake.

I couldn't just leave it unattended.

Granted, the information I had on demons was lacking. Aside from the Demon King Piccolo, there has been mentions of other nameless demonic entities who were either killed off or sealed away.

Even Baba hadn't been overly helpful on that front, despite actively dealing with the supernatural herself. Though, what light she did shed was confusing to say the least.

Apparently, Otherworld existed as part of the universe, under the purview of beings called Kais, who oversaw different sections of the universe.

Otherworld was comprised of Heaven and Hell, as well as the planets these higher deities apparently lived on.

But here's the kicker: Demon World was apparently something completely _different_ from Hell. It wasn't part of Other World, and it wasn't part of the living world either.

The old crone had almost no information on it, other than my father apparently disappearing without a trace the last time the energy was felt.

Everything was beginning to click into place now. Did my father find a portal just like this, back then?

Just then, the portal pulsed once again, spitting out a man in armor— or at least, what passed for a man.

The creature's head was missing. It held a blood-crusted sword in its right hand, with a shield strapped to its right arm.

It moved the shield around weirdly. At least, I thought it was weird right until it pointed the shield at me, revealing the the metallic face sticking out of it.

"A human, just waiting at the gate?" It crowed excitedly, taking a few steps forward, its armor clanging with every movement it made. "Such a young one, too!"

Latching onto it with my power, I invoked **[Insight]**, suppressing the urge to wince at the sheer wrongness this creature exuded merely by existing.

**oooo**

**Headless Knight**

**Scourge - Lv 37  
Age - 140  
Race - Demon / Undead**

**HP: 25,000  
Ki: 6,000  
MP: 1,000**

**Rep: 0/50,000 Despised**

**A low level Knight in the Demon Army, Scourge is looking for some glorious combat, and maybe some good old fashioned bloodletting!**

**He plans on starting with this dumb, yet familiar looking kid.**

**Battle Power: 155**

**oooo**

Boy, was I glad to have taken my weights off beforehand. So this was just a low level Knight from the demon world? And, what the hell did it mean by familiar?

"Why have you come?" I stalled for time, hoping the sign of sapience this being was showing could be used to my advantage.

I knew that little loved sharing their stories with any who would listen.

I was banking on that, assuming this monster was going to at least gloat about how smart he is.

To my surprise, it actually _worked._

"Foolish mortal…" The headless Knight crowed. "It doesn't seem to understand its predicament, does it? No matter…"

My apprehension gave way to indignant anger. "I have a name, you tin bucket."

"It still talks." The monster said to himself in a somewhat surprised tone. "The cattle does not know its true place."

He brandished his sword toward me. "Perhaps a good bloodletting will teach it."

My eyes flashed with blazing intensity.

"Just try it!" I snarled, sinking into the Tiger Stance and watching the demon carefully.

The face on the shield screamed at me, a palpable wave of sound impacting against my body.

**oooo**

**You have been hit by the Knight's Wail. [Gamer's Body] partly negated the effect.**

**You are now disoriented.**

**Time left: 3 seconds**

**oooo**

I had no time to read the window, tripping over my feet and barely dodging the swordsman's downward slash.

The large blade impacted against the ground, digging into it and buffeting me with the debris.

**-400 HP**

I leapt high into the air, avoiding the follow-up thrust. I rose at least fifty feet in the air, whooping in exhilaration and excitement.

I hung in the air for a few seconds, feeling my body shake off the effects of the disorientation as I fell back down.

The Headless Knight raised his sword, moving himself underneath where I'd land.

He was hoping to skewer me with his blade, I realized. I pointed my hands down towards him.

**-6,500 Ki!**

"**Ha!" **Power erupted from my palms, falling down into the creature below me.

The gravity assisted ball of Ki smashed the Headless Knight into the ground, embedding him within.

The sword flew out of the creature's grip as it grunted in pain. I stared in shock. That much energy was supposed to have utterly destroyed this creature!

I hit the ground running, dashing forward and grabbing the sword before the monster could reclaim it.

The weapon was heavy and unwieldy— even at my current strength level, but I hefted it in preparation to finish the Headless Knight off. A quick check to its HP showed that it was down to 3,000.

Its defenses had been high enough to withstand more than what its displayed HP showed it could take. I'd have to take that into account, in the future.

"What… _are_ you?" It asked in a mix of shock and existential terror.

I ignored its question, instead asking my own. "How did you open the portal?"

"It believes one such as I opened the gateway. Mortals are so strange." The Headless Knight replied, its shield-face amused.

"If not you, then who?" I tried again, brandishing the heavy sword threateningly. "How many of you are there? I want answers."

"The hatchling believes it will get me to talk." The demon snarled. "It will get _nothing _from me."

And I believed it.

Without any more words, I lifted the large blade, bringing it down on the demon's shield-arm, denting the armor inward and shattering the appendage.

The monster gave one last cry, glaring at me with hatred, before the arm fell limply to the floor, its shield-face clattering away for a few moments.

**+6,000 XP!**

Reddish black ichor pooled beneath the main body, as well as the shield-face as I took stock of the situation.

That had been.. Laughably easy.

Then again, I thought as I looked at my Ki…

**Ki: 11,156/17,656**

It had taken more than a third of my available power to put that thing close to death. Meaning, if I was fighting more than three of these, I would be having a bad time.

And, this was just a low-level fighter.

"Just a footsoldier. Fodder." I mumbled, thinking quickly as I pulled another NutriBar, as well as a bottle of water, consuming both quickly. "Someone just scouting out the territory. This guy couldn't have possibly been able to open the portal."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Never any answers, only more questions."

**oooo**

**Quest Updated**

**Demon Bane**

**-Head north, and investigate the disturbance in the world's flow!**

**You've discovered that the disturbance is a hole in reality, leading to what you believe to be the Demon World, somewhere wholly separate from both the worlds of the living and of the dead.**

**-Close the portal.**

**Reward: 15,000 XP, ?  
Failure Penalty: Death**

**oooo**

"Close the portal." I repeated incredulously, waving away the quest window. "That's so very helpful, game."

All right. What did I know?

The portal was linked to something deep underground.

However, whatever was down there wasn't actually churning out any energy of its own— at least, none that I could readily detect.

Its purpose, then, was… Maybe some kind of beacon?

A figurative lighthouse for the spellcaster to be able to orient him/herself and come to this specific location?

That would have been my best guess.

This meant that whatever was powering the breach was actually on the other side, which fit well with my train of logic.

Someone opens a portal, and begins sending underlings through it to scout the territory out. Then, when that's done, they send an army through, establish a foothold, etc.

Basic invasion tactics.

The only way to stop this would be to close the portal.

Doing _that_ would _probably_ involve going to the other side and shutting it down from there. However, that would most likely leave me stranded— the realization shot through me like a cold knife.

Was that what happened to my father?

Before I was able to process that particular thought, the portal pulsed again, another grotesque creature stepping out of the black void.

It was a purple blob, this time; a wrinkly, fat cone of flesh, with small stubs that passed for arms and legs, using a piece of gnarled wood to walk around.

It took a single step, its eyes landing on me, and then its fallen ally, before opening its toothless, too large mouth and letting out a loud, keening wail of anger that made my ears hurt.

With a wince, I linked my energy to it, invoking **[Insight]** on the ugly fleshy creature.

**oooo  
Lump Mage**

**Nev - Level 36  
Age - 89  
Race - Demon**

**HP: 1,000  
Ki: 100  
MP: 40,000**

**Rep: 0/50,000 Despised**

**A low level Mage in the Demon Army, Nev was sent in after Scourge failed to report on his scouting mission. The reasons why seem quite obvious to him.**

**He plans on distracting the foul mortal long enough to escape into the portal and warn his brothers of the resistance waiting on the other side.**

**Battle Power: 20  
oooo**

Escape, huh?

Not if I had anything to say about it.


	21. Chapter 20

**To Mr. Easy: I get it, you don't like the fact that I took away Gamer's Mind. You've been complaining about it every chapter, and I've given you many long winded replies— yet you still review with complaints. Kindly stop reading if you don't like this plot turn :)**

**oooo  
Chapter 20  
oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, Afternoon August 8, Portal North of Baba's Palace**

I threw the heavy sword away and rushed the creature, grabbing hold of its body and throwing it to the side before it could jump through the portal.

It glowed blue as it tumbled on the harsh stone ground, before eventually halting its momentum with a pulse of energy.

The creature righted itself, giving me a menacing stare with its pupiless eyes.

A quick check to its status window showed that it had used a rather small amount of mana to avoid receiving damage altogether.

It waved its staff at me, the wood flaring purple for a brief moment. I braced myself, summoning up my **[Mana Shield]** as gale force winds erupted from the staff, slicing at my body with lethal intent.

**-45 MP!**

**-1,400 MP!**

**-1,800 MP!**

**-1,100 MP!**

I felt harsh shoves on my neck, thigh and the back of my ankle— all spots with major veins. If I were any other person, that would have spelled my imminent death, right there and then.

I felt the cutting winds die down, dashing immediately to the Lump Mage in the hope of catching it as it recovered from casting the spell.

Two feet away, it gave an eerie grin, staff leveled at me with a reddish glow.

Shit!

I shifted to the right as much as I could, barely avoiding the small ball of flame and lashing out with a claw strike to its side, fingers aglow with **[Tiger Claw]**.

**-175 MP!**

The deadly mana claws were stopped dead by the creature's own version of **[Mana Shield]**, the two spells grinding against each other with an painfully loud whine.

I felt my MP begin to drain as the we engaged each other in a clash of will— a clash the disgusting blob would win by virtue of simply having more MP than I did.

Different tactics, then.

I withdrew **[Tiger Claw]**, instead waving my hand at the demon.

**-800 MP!**

"**[Dazzle]**!" I incanted, putting my enemy under illusions, which would hopefully allow me to attack while it was distracted—

The creature giggled as it shredded through the spell with seemingly minimal effort. It brandished its staff at me once more, its unnaturally wide smile growing with glee.

And my world was awash in red. Creatures the size of trucks burst out of the portal behind me, the ground beneath my feet shaking with every step they took.

I turned in shock, staring at the mountains of muscle in fear. There was no way I could survive this; I was outnumbered, eight to one now. There was no way I could—

Wait.

They had no names over their heads.

**Ping!**

**You are now under the effect of Dazzle!**

**Duration: 3 minutes.**

Oh, so that's what this spell was like from the target's perspective, huh? I turned to the Lump Mage, only to find that he was no longer there.

Was it part of the illusion? I wondered.

No, it couldn't be; at least, to my knowledge. The spell wasn't supposed to hide anything from the real world, simply add in a few illusions to what was already present.

Then again, this was a demon from a plane of existence completely unlike my own; he could very well be able to do that, I thought as I hesitantly activated **[Gamer's Mind]**.

**Illusion detected!**

**Illusion shattered. You are no longer under the effect of Dazzle.**

I felt the calming effects of the skill as the world went back to normal, the monsters behind me disappearing, and the Lump Mage reappearing on my left side, a bit to the front— it was attempting to wobble its way to the portal.

I kept my previous expression, **[Gamer's Mind]** not betraying any of my intent. I waited until the opportune moment, waiting until it was right next to me, before grabbing hold of it and snatching the staff out of its weak tubby fingers.

I threw the piece of wood away, the blue glow around the creature fading into nothing. On its stat sheet, I saw its MP get cut by a solid 20,000, leaving it with only 14,000 left.

There was no moment of hesitation.

**-350 MP!**

I activated **[Tiger Claw]**, digging into its body and tearing a large chunk of its flesh in one solid move.

Then, while ignoring its pained shrieks and feeble protests, I did it again, and again, and again until there was nothing but twitching flesh at my feet.

**+5,800 XP!**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
You have gained a level!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 22 (2,000/23,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 5,880 ; [13,342/13,505]  
MP: 6,748 ; [4,693/10,363]  
Ki: 7,750 ; [12,321/17,801]**

**STR: 74 ; [130.98]  
VIT: 85 ; [150.45]  
AGI: 77 ; [136.29]  
INT: 78 ; [107.64]  
WIS: 82 ; [113.16]**

**Points: 67**

**Battle Power: 78.7, [140.8]**

**oooo**

Deactivating the skill and dismissing the windows, I stared at my bloodied hands for a moment, before wiping it away on my clothes.

A long-press later, **[Gamer's Mind] **was deactivated as well, the wall of emotion slamming into me once more.

It took a few seconds of concerted mental effort to regain hold of myself, but I managed to do it.

The portal had been getting wider during the fight I had with the deceased Lump Mage. It was now big enough to fit a medium-sized truck.

With a regained sense of urgency, I went for the demon's staff, snatching it with a quick motion and invoking **[Insight]**.

**oooo**

**Wizard Staff**

**Item: Weapon  
Rarity: Arcane  
Description: Imbued with fire magic, this staff is able to convert your Mana into a low level spell: [Frizz].**

**+5,000 Max MP / 10,000 Max MP (Moderate Attunement Required)/ +20,000 Max MP (Full Attunement Required)**

**oooo**

**Frizz: The standard flame spell, a fireball used to sear your enemy.**

**oooo**

**Would you like to equip this weapon?**

**Y/N**

**oooo**

I pressed on "Y", feeling the weapon's energy link with mine. My mana pool felt like it had swelled by half its previous size.

A quick check to my stat sheet showed that my MP's maximum was now 15,363.

My available magic, on the other hand, stayed the same— though, I could tell it was regenerating at a faster rate than before.

The addition to my MP also translated into an increase in its regeneration rate, it seemed. Hidden benefits would come in handy, especially in a situation like this.

I hefted the staff, swinging it a few times, getting a feel for the weapon.

It was quite sturdy, surprisingly enough. I swung it around a few more times, marveling at the resilience of the material.

What was this made of?

Was this a byproduct of my Gamer ability turning weapons into objects I simply couldn't destroy? Or was it naturally this sturdy?

I unequipped the weapon for a moment, feeling absolutely no difference with every swing.

Trees in the demon world must be made of sterner stuff, I realized and re-equipped my new weapon. Fixing my attention onto the portal, I stared at it for a long moment.

The energy pulsed again, the portal growing more in size.

I closed my eyes and grit my teeth in anger and frustration. Was there nothing I could do to stop it on this side? My hand rested on the beaded bracelet sitting snugly on my wrist.

"Like father, like son, huh?" I opened my eyes, my mind made up.

**-45 MP!**

With a thought, a bluish white glow settled over my skin, my **[Mana Shield]** coming into effect immediately as I stepped into the portal, images of my mother and Chichi at the forefront of my mind.

The world shifted from blues, greens, browns, whites and yellows to a deep blackness. All I could see was a black void, except behind me.

I looked back for a moment, watching the portal get smaller despite its bursts of growth. I realized I was being transported at great speeds.

I hadn't even felt it. There was no resistance in the.. Air? Was there even air in here? I took a breath— yep, there was air.

Why was there no resistance, then?

I had no real time to ponder this as a pinprick of red light began to emerge in the distance. Quickly approaching it, I realized this was portal, and that it was about the size of a large truck.

The void spit me up none-too-gently, the black surroundings shifting to red, brown and black. I stumbled a few times, before righting myself with some effort and quickly surveying my surroundings.

It was so completely alien and frightening to look at, I realized quickly with a disturbed frown marring my face.

The sky was the color of blood, a bright crimson which bathed all of my surroundings in some shade of red. The small clearing I stood in was surrounded by forest-land on all sides.

Though, calling it a forest would have been quite the generous claim.

Forests were not supposed to be like this!

They were havens for all manner of creatures, housing them in their trees, under the earth, safe from the summer sun's heat, or the chilly winter winds.

This forest was antithetical to everything I'd known. The trees were lifeless sticks of charcoal, lacking vibrance in any way, shape or form.

The scorched ground at my feet was bathed in the red light from above. The smell of burning filled my nose, and I had to slow my breathing down, so as not to choke.

"So this is the Demon World…" I said, slowly coming to grips with the situation. "This is where my father spent his final moments?"

I harshly suppressed the flare of righteous anger that blazed within me, and linked my power to that of the portal, trying to feel it out.

I shivered slightly, the vile feeling of the world around me affecting my mental state. **[Gamer's Mind]** would eliminate this issue entirely, I realized, but I refused to use it unless it was absolutely necessary.

Even this discomfort beat the absolute emptiness I felt when that damned passive asserted itself.

I stared at myself, the glow of my magical shield strengthening my resolve.

I had to be smart.

Immediately scanning the portal would do me no good, and would waste precious minutes I could use to recover my full strength again.

I unlatched my power from the portal, instead sending the tendrils in all directions in an attempt to feel any of the demons out, while settling down on the scorched earth and initiating **[Meditation]**.

The effects were immediate, I thought as my reserves began to fill up at a much faster rate. As it was, I needed to regenerate over 5,000 Ki, and a bit over 10,000 MP.

I kept my shield up, unwilling to take any risks. I could keep it up at all times even without **[Meditation]** now, I realized faintly as the reserves were filling up much too quickly for the skill's cost to be a major detriment.

Ten minutes passed as I belatedly realized that my Ki was back to full. My MP on the other hand, would require another ten minutes.

To be honest, I had expected some kind of welcoming committee at the portal, but there was no such audience waiting for me.

I linked my power with the portal, realizing its size had been the same for the last ten minutes.

Focusing all of my attention on the portal for a moment, I realized it was linked to something off into the distance, off to my left.

I would have said west, but this place seemingly had no sun. I discarded the idle thought, the sense of urgency strengthening.

My MP was high enough now, I thought to myself.

Disengaging from my meditative state, I climbed up one of the dead trees— which felt as sturdy as the staff on my back— and stared off into that direction.

A large structure stood tall a fair distance away, its stones black as night— the redness of the sky not affecting it in the slightest.

Something in there was powering the portal. Whatever it was, it had to go; and then I had to hightail it back here, hoping I could make it back before the portal closed up.

No wonder dad never managed to get back. According to Baba, my dad's only talent was in magic. He'd had quite the number of years to practice.

He was particularly good with enchantments, which was why he'd made the bracelet in the first place, at least according to the old hag.

From the way she was putting it to me, the man wasn't a fighter. And yet, he ventured into this realm and closed the portal, effectively sealing his own fate.

A non-combatant in a world where combat and strife was key? He was probably long dead— there was no way to mince those words.

Logic didn't solve my problem, of course.

It was possible he could have survived all these years. Unlikely, but possible.

Those were the thoughts running through my head as I made my way closer and closer to the fortress up ahead. I wondered just what this whole thing was about.

It was obvious at this point that this was not an invasion— or, at least an invasion as I had envisioned it. There were no great armies waiting to wreak havoc on the Earth.

So, it had to be something else.

But, what?

I got within spitting distance of the black fortress, using the dark forest as camouflage as I slowly circled the great structure, finally reaching its entrance, a large bridge.

Upon closer inspection, I noted that the moat around the fortress was filled not with water, but with a great number of sharp steel spikes, bones of various creatures lain on its bed.

Two guards were posted atop the bridge, armed quite haphazardly; I could see plate in some places, fur in others, and maces in their hands.

The monsters themselves were featureless humanoid skeletons, their eyes glowing a bright purple, even in this world of blood red.

They moved their heads automatically, scanning the area for any intruders— though they did not notice me.

With a frown, I reached out to them with my power and invoked **[Insight].**

**oooo**

**Deadnaut**

**Nameless - Lv 25  
Race - Undead  
Age - 3012**

**HP: 7,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Raised from the dead, a Deadnaut's only purpose is to follow the orders of its summoner.**

**This particular servant has only recently been ordered to guard the fortress.**

**Battle Power: 65**

**oooo**

**Deadnaut**

**Nameless - Lv 24  
Race - Undead  
Age - 2993**

**HP: 6,800**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Raised from the dead, a Deadnaut's only purpose is to follow the orders of its summoner.**

**This particular servant has only recently been ordered to guard the fortress.**

**Battle Power: 60**

**oooo**

I blinked at how weak these creatures were; and, what did the description mean by "only recently"? Did something happen, here? Perhaps that was why we weren't facing a full blown invasion.

Whoever was behind it was busy with something else?

I had no way to tell, aside from breaking into this place and finding out.

I checked further out with my power, but could find no other creatures nearby. I could not penetrate the fortress' walls, however; every time my energy got close, it was firmly rebuffed by the black stone.

It was rejecting my power outright.

Taking a breath, I tried to figure out what my method of approach would be. These things were skeletons, so I couldn't exactly attack their vital areas for quick kills.

Then again, these things were _skeletons_, undead creatures of the night; and, what did creatures of the night fear?

Fire.

Mind made up, I grabbed the staff and pointed it at the one on the left. "**[Frizz]!"**

The wood flared red for a few moments, greedily absorbing my magic and blasting out a great ball of flame at the skeletons.

**-2,500 MP!**

I rushed in after the spell, watching it tear through the first guard, exploding behind the second and sending him flying toward me.

I gave him a solid whack with the staff, shattering the thing's spine and sending it down on the ground.

I didn't let up, continually smashing the undead creature's bones until its errant bones stopped twitching.

**+3,000 XP!**

**+2,900 XP!**

With a huff, I reached outwards with my power to see if anyone had detected that little display.

The energy was rebuffed by the walls of the structure again, so I reeled them back in, instead relying on my normal senses.

I waited for a long, tense minute, but nothing happened. No one opened the large doors, no one came out of the forest. No further guards showed up from any unexpected position.

And so, I moved to enter the great structure, pushing against the large gate with great effort. It didn't budge an inch.

How heavy was this thing?

I backed away, moving toward the bridge and looking up at the large walls, trying to estimate their size. At my current strength level, I could _probably_ make that jump.

I crouched down slightly, my muscles coiled and ready to go, before jumping as high as I could. I made it over the roof only barely just, my feet lightly skimming over the cold, black stone.

The structure was rough, I noted as I was able to get a good grip on the roof with my hands and feet. I walked along the roof for about a minute until I found a large hole, which led into what looked to be a hallway from what I could tell.

Judging from the hole, it looked as if something had brute forced its way into the structure only recently. With no frame of reference or any additional information, I had no way of confirming this.

Still, I wasn't going to question my good fortune. I jumped down the hole, into the fortress.

I landed with a roll, quickly getting to my feet and checking my surroundings; I found myself in a dark hallway, lit by a few torches on each side.

The center of this place would be to my left, but the hallway ran perpendicular to that direction. So, which way would I take?

After a few seconds of thought, I ended up picking one at random. This was no time to sit down and slowly consider things. I had a job to do, and I had to do it quickly, while the enemy was seemingly distracted.

That's the only thing that would make sense.

Who would open a portal, only to send two low level lackeys? Something else must be at play— it might have to do with the hole in the ceiling I came through.

Then again, it might not, I thought as I turned a corner, coming face to face with large, monstrous creature.

It was a hulking grey beast, with hooves for hands and feet. It snorted derisively at me, glaring at me with a sharp toothed snarl that did not belong on a horse's head.

I'd seen one of these in the illusion that the Lump Mage had thrown at me, but…

This one was real, I realized as I latched my power to it, invoking **[Insight]** immediately.

**oooo**

**Horse Knight**

**Kon - Lv 44  
Age - 247  
Race - Demon/Beast**

**HP: 30,000  
Ki: 10,000  
MP: 500**

**Rep: 0/50,000 Despised**

**A low-ranking Knight in the Demon Army, Kon has been ordered to guard this hallway, and let nothing past him.**

**It has noticed strangely familiar mortal, and plans to crush him under its hooves.**

**Battle Power: 175**

**oooo**

Without hesitation, I put my points in strength, agility and vitality, raising them respectively to 103, 100 and 100 in one go. I saw my beaded bracelet glow as new windows appeared— but I was infinitely more concerned about the brute before me.

**oooo**

**Ping!  
Due to your STR, VIT and AGI reaching 100, you have evolved your previous passives!**

**Fighter II: All Ki Strikes and Physical Damage increased by 20%.**

**Quickness II: 15% Increase to overall movement speed.**

**HPR/Ki Regen II: Base HP and Ki regeneration is now 1.5%/min. You can now exercise for five hours without succumbing to [Exhaustion]!**

**oooo**

**Passive unlocked on the [Beads of Haste]!**

**Speed Demon I: 7% Increase to overall movement speed. Effect increases as you grow more attuned to the accessory.**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 22 (7,900/23,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 8,085 ; [20,571]  
MP: 6,748 ; [7,015/15,363]  
Ki: 10,658 ; [18,211/27,117]**

**STR: 103 ; [184.37]  
VIT: 100 ; [179.00]  
AGI: 100 ; [179.00]  
INT: 78 ; [107.64]  
WIS: 82 ; [113.16]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 101, [180.8]**

**oooo**

The great beast tried to barrel into me, with absolutely no luck. I dodged it with ease, my newfound state allowing me to go at speeds I could only dream of before.

I underestimated my strength, leaping over the horse monster and smashing my head against the wall above me.

**-200 HP!**

I grit my teeth as I landed and redoubled my efforts to control myself as best as I could.

The beast snarled at me and rushed me again. Truly, this beast was nothing but a mindless brute. No wonder it was stuck on guard duty. It was almost as stupid as the skeletons, and those things lacked brains!

To my satisfaction, its following charge was neatly sidestepped, even as it tried to trick me by changing its course at the last moment.

Maybe it was a bit smarter, I thought uncharitably.

Not that it mattered.

With no hesitation, I dodged under its furious arm swipe, and pointed both hands at it.

**-5,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!"** The **[Ki Ball]** smashed into Horse Knight with unrelenting power, embedding its body into the wall with a small shockwave ruffling my bloodstained clothes.

I stared at my hands in wonder for a brief moment, before activating **[Tiger Claw]** and going for its throat and eyes, not even waiting for the dust to settle.

**-350 MP!**

No mercy.

I was neither able, nor willing to give it out.

I ignored the creature's cries and kept tearing it to pieces, a fresh coat of blood spattering my arms, clothes and face.

When its HP finally reached zero, I finally backed away, staring at the dead demon for a moment, before wiping at my hands and face and walking past its quickly cooling corpse, through the hallway it was meant to defend.

I kept my mind on the objective.

Find whatever was powering the portal.

Close it.

Escape.

That was all that mattered.

I refused to die here.

The hallway finally ended, leading to a set of stairs going down.

Was that where the portal was supposed to be?

With an absent shrug, I carefully— and quietly— made my way down, my energy swiftly searching for any sign of monsters.

**[Insight] **picked up on two signatures in front of me, a window appearing with their stat sheets. I prepared for another fight as I read through the information.

**oooo**

**Renegade**

**Dyran - Level 63  
Race - Demon  
Age - 321**

**HP: 22,000/35,000 [Bleeding]  
MP: 7,320/15,000  
Ki: 18,000/35,700**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Heavily damaged from a battle with his leader, Dyran wishes to escape the demon world with his human friend.**

**He is currently bleeding badly.**

**Battle Power: 210**

**oooo**

**Escapee**

**Ren - Lv 43  
Race - Human  
Age - 42**

**HP: 3,500/5,000 [Dazed]  
MP: 20,000/70,000  
Ki: 500/1,000**

**Rep: 100,000/100,000 Loved**

**The first chance in many, many years, Ren is attempting to escape into the human world with a demon he befriended during his captivity.**

**He wishes to see his wife and son beyond all else. He hopes they haven't forgotten him.**

**Battle Power: 30**

**What is this? Who is doing this? Get out of my head!**

**oooo**

**Error: [Insight] has been detected and rebuffed.**

**oooo**

_...What?_

I soon came face to face with the two. The first, was an eight foot tall, yellow skinned demon. He was extremely well built, and wore a simple looking, iron-like armor that covered much of his body.

The indigo cape he wore was in tatters, but it only seemed to enhance his frightful, yet strangely majestic appearance.

He tightly held onto his bloodstained, cracked sword while he dragged his companion along. Speaking of...

His companion— he looked like me.

The man looked weathered, bruised, and had grown a sizeable beard, but I recognized those eyes anywhere, glowing in the low light of the dungeon.

The three of us stopped dead in our tracks.

The large demon looked at me in a mix of impatient urgency and curiosity, while the man next to him had a look of abject shock on his gaunt face.

"W-what.. Ten...?" The man hesitantly spoke, reaching a hand out slowly. I tried to answer, but there was a sudden lump in my throat.

Never would I have imagined a situation like this.

"How?" He asked hoarsely, eyes wide in disbelief.

Far behind the two, I heard a loud roar which shook the foundations of the fortress. Power spilled forth from the darkness, conveying seething rage, unadulterated hatred and an unquenchable lust for blood.

The demon next to my father cursed. "Run! Your can have your heartfelt reunion when we're not too busy trying to stay alive!"

I obeyed instantly.

Whatever was down there was something I didn't want to tangle with.

Not when the stat sheet I acquired after linking with it clearly showed that I stood no chance.

**oooo**

**Dreadfiend**

**Genus - Lv 92  
Race - Demon  
Age - 3,556**

**HP: 60,000/75,000 [Disoriented]  
MP: 30,000/45,000  
Ki: 45,000/60,000**

**Rep: 0/50,000 Despised**

**The dreadfiend Genus is a monstrous demon who only wishes to inflict death, destruction and chaos unto the world of the living. His plans were thwarted by an upstart human many years ago, but he kept the human as a plaything, torturing it often for information, but mostly for fun.**

**Eventually, he pieced together the information required to undo the sealing spell the disgusting human latched onto his portal, but was betrayed at the last moment by his right hand, Dyran.**

**He plans on killing Ren and Dyran, before amassing a new army and reducing the filthy mortal's world to ashes.**

**Battle Power: 312**

**oooo**


	22. Chapter 21

**oooo  
Chapter 21  
oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, August 8, Demon World**

I read through the information sheet on Genus twice more as we ran through the corridors, away from the demonic entity who had begun the chase.

The hole in the ceiling had been barred off, leaving me with no choice but to follow the renegade demon and… my father.

My. Father.

It was weird even thinking those words.

I thought he'd been dead for years now, but here he was, alive and… _not_ well.

Years of torture and forced servitude, and who knows what else?

With that thought, it was surprising it took so long for the seal to be broken.

"We need to get him off our tail!" I called out as we turned another corner, exiting into what seemed to be a large inner garden of some sort.

Well, whatever passed for a garden in the world of demons, anyway.

The grass was purple and rigid like shards of glass; the fountain at the center was spewing demon blood, the dark liquid flowing down several dead bodies of various demons held up by spikes, before falling into the basin beneath.

Possible usurpers of this Genus fellow?

Well, whatever they were, I would likely face the same fate if I was caught.

"What are we doing here?" I finally asked. The renegade, Dyran, had completely stopped. He wasn't even trying to look for a way out.

Wait, he wouldn't..

"We will make our stand here." He began, but I cut him off right there and then.

"Make our stand." I parroted, gesturing wildly at him. "With what, your broken sword? Dumbass!"

"You dare!?" The tall demon exploded with anger at the insult.

"You're half dead, _he's_—" I pointed at my father, not even able to say his name right now. "Barely functioning as it is, and I'm not at my best either. We can't fight this guy, _and_ whatever fighting force he manages to muster. We _have_ to escape."

Dyran looked like he was about to explode again, but was stopped by my father, who raised his hand to placate his friend.

"Ten is right." He said— and I shivered, that voice dredging up _old_ memories again. "As we are, we cannot hope to win this fight. We can open the gates to the front entrance, and escape to the human world so we can recover."

Dyran considered the words for a long moment, before nodding in irritation. "There are two guards at the gate; they might intervene with the opening, but I think it is possible."

"The Deadnauts?" I cut in. "I already took care of them."

"Very well, then." Dyran said, steeling his expression and lifting my father into his arms once more, before running to the side, towards one of the large doors.

We pushed them open, only to be met face to face with a new obstacle.

It was a fellow clad in a grey robe and holding a whip. I could not see his face, hidden as it was under his hood. At his sides were two distinct creatures.

One was a very large, green scorpion, chittering at us with obvious hostility. Venom dripped from its stinger, the green liquid sizzling against the black stone floor.

The other was a large, red, dead looking wolf. It glared at us with its one eye, the other simply being a hollowed out socket. It was missing its left ear, and the skin underneath that as well— its skull completely exposed to the elements.

Dyran wasted no time, thrusting his broken sword into the creature with the whip. The two animals reacted immediately, lunging at Dyran in the hopes of killing him.

**-350 MP!**

I rushed the red wolf, tackling it onto the floor, my **[Tiger Claw]** activating just in time to tear the wolf's leg off— the foot it was attempting to swipe me with.

The foot spun wildly, lightly smacking against the back of my head as it descended. I paid it no mind, instead continually clawing at the creature's neck until it was decapitated.

Then, I took the head and threw it wildly, just wanting to get it away from my immediate surroundings. Judging by the splash, I realized I had thrown it into the pool of blood.

The wolf-corpse was still moving; but, without its head and one of its legs, it was a step below useless in a fight.

I deactivated my skill and turned my attention to my new companions, seeing they had dispatched their respective opponents just as quickly.

No words were said, we simply kept moving, trying not to waste even a sliver of time. I closed the door behind us, hoping it would buy a few seconds.

We ran until we got to a set of large doors, with a lever on each side.

"They have to be pulled at the same time." Dyran informed as he gripped one lever and gestured for me to stand at the one to the left.

I obeyed, and stood by the lever, giving him a nod.

"One. Two. Three!" He counted, and we both pulled the lever.

A second passed, and nothing happened. Was this guy lying?

I opened my mouth to say something, only to be interrupted by the sound of stone grinding on stone.

The inner mechanisms of the gate, I assumed they were as I watched the large doors open outward, revealing the pile of bones and ash I'd left behind only fifteen to twenty minutes earlier.

"To the portal." Dyran declared, lifting my father once again and running to the dark woods; I followed them swiftly, easily matching their pace, though I had to watch my step, as the ground was fairly treacherous.

After a few minutes of running, Dyran stopped, setting my father down and dropping to one knee, greatly exhausted.

"It seems I am too wounded. We should stop here, recover our power." He said between breaths, pressing a hand against his side, his yellow skin quickly staining itself in the demon's dark blood. "This will not be easy to heal, and we have no time. Ren, could you close this wound?"

A moment passed.

"You can't mean..!" Ren said in shock.

"Yes, my friend." Dyran said. "Summon up your fire, just like I taught you, and sear it shut."

My father gulped, and gave a reluctant nod. He opened his hand and snapped his fingers. A red flame appeared, growing in size before moving down and suffusing against the skin on his palm, making it glow a hot red.

He knelt by Dyran, looking up at the demon's face. The two shared a nod, and the yellow skinned demon lifted his hand off of his wound. The hiss of sizzling flesh filled the air, as well as Dyran's agonized grunts and spasms.

I inched away for a moment, the smell of burning flesh hitting my nose, even worse than the general burning smell of this dark forest.

A second later, Ren canceled the spell and backed away, giving the demon space and time to gather his thoughts.

"Thank you…" Dyran wheezed for a moment, before he closed his eyes and attempted to rest.

My father only nodded to the demon in reply, before turning to me.

Neither of us said a thing. I didn't blame him. What could you say in such a situation? This must've been extremely shocking for the older man, seeing his 14 year old son in the Demon Realm.

"I thought you were dead." I finally broke the silence. "We-we all did."

"I was as good as dead." He replied, eyes flashing with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "Sealing the object powering the portal in the fortress had been difficult enough.."

He shook his head and sat down, his back against one of the trees. He breathed out a long, exhausted sigh, gesturing for me to come to him. "Let me look at you. Ten."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and moved to my dad, kneeling so that were both on the same level. He reached out and held his palm to my cheek, a glint slowly forming in his eyes.

"You look just like I did when I was your age, you know that...?" His frowning face finally cracked as he let out a smile.

"That's what mom says all the time." I replied automatically, the feeling on his hand on my face throwing me off.

I saw his eyes widen at the mention of his wife.

"Jean.." He whispered, smile dropping instantly as he let his hand sink to his side. "How is she.. How did she take my.." He trailed off.

I breathed a little shorter at that, the memories of those dark days filling my mind. Long nights of watching her cry and drown her sorrows into a bottle came to mind. Watching her break down completely, helping her up and taking her to bed, and cleaning up the mess that was left behind...

I shook the thoughts off. "...Not well. All we were told is that you died in an accident. No one would say what kind of accident, or even where it happened."

A moment passed as Ren- no, Dad- absorbed the information.

"That Baba..." He said slowly. "Did she keep it a secret?"

"I doubt the old hag knew what exactly happened." I waved it off, getting a little more comfortable with the slight shift in topic. "All she seemed to know was that there was an anomaly with demonic energy involved that she sent you to check out; but you never came back."

At that, he looked at me once more, trying to understand.

"How would you.." He started, closing his mouth as realization hit him. "You're a student of Baba. Is that how you got so powerful?"

"Ah..." I fumbled my words, trying to figure out the quickest way of explaining it, before shrugging. "That's part of it, yeah."

"My son, learning magic at fourteen." He said, looking at me with wonder. "Unbelievable. Wait- what about school?"

Not even reunited for ten minutes and he was already asking about school.

Feh. Parents.

"I graduated already." I said simply, the annoyance I felt quickly erasing itself after seeing my father's look of astonishment.

"At fourteen?" He gaped and muttered something about having to redo his year when he was a kid. I smiled slightly, scratching the back of my head in slight nervousness.

"That bracelet.." His eyes lit up, snatching my hand and pulling it to him. "I remember it. My Beads of Haste."

My eyes widened slightly. That was the same name assigned to the accessory by the game system. Just how powerful was my gamer ability, to accurately represent the name of something I wasn't supposed to know?

Was it really a part of me? It seemed to function off of my subconscious at times, but there were also times where it just simply made no sense- like now!

How could it possibly know the name my father assigned to the bracelet?

I shook the unease off. I'd deal with that later.

"Mom gave it to me." I informed him.

"Of course." He smiled again, a bit wider this time, and his eyes glinting with hope. "She always knew what the right thing to do was. Oh Jean... I can't wait to see her. I'm so glad you're here, my son."

My throat constricted at him referring to me like that. I felt him grab hold of me and pull me closer to him, holding me in a tight embrace.

I tried to struggle for a few moments, but stopped as I realized what was happening.

"D-dad.." I said, feeling something in me itching to release itself.

"..I am sorry, Ten." I heard him say, his hand rubbing circles on my back. "I was supposed to be there for you, son. I failed you as a father. I'm so sorry..."

"Don't-" I swallowed down the lump, trying my best not to cry. "Don't say that. It's not your fault, dad!"

He bit back a sob when I'd called him that.

"It's not." I repeated strongly, overcome with emotion. "How could it ever be?"

"...You don't blame me?" He asked hesitantly.

"Maybe when I was little." I admitted with a flush of shame. "I didn't understand, back then. All I knew was that you were gone."

"But, knowing what I do now." I continued quickly, feeling him tense up. "I don't blame you anymore, dad. You did everything you could. You saved the world! Who can say that about their dad?"

He tightened his hold on me, and I felt wetness stain my left shoulder- he was crying.

"I never dreamt this day would come..." He whispered. "But, you're here. You're _here_. You're truly here. You're _real_."

I frowned at his choice of words, wondering just what kind of "fun" that Dreadfiend Genus had with the obviously damaged man. I linked my power to his once again and invoked **[Insight]**.

**oooo**

**Loving Father**

**Ren – Lv 43  
Race – Human  
Age – 42**

**HP: 3,550/5,000  
MP: 20,520/70,000  
Ki: 450/1,000**

**Rep: 100,000/100,000 Loved**

**The first chance in many, many years, Ren has successfully escaped the Dreadfiend's fortress alongside his friend and ally, Dyran, reuniting with his son in very strange circumstances.**

**He cannot wait to see his beloved wife once again, but he is scared she will reject him once she sees the broken man he has become.**

**He is happy in the knowledge that his son, at least, has accepted him without reservation or question.**

**Battle Power: 30**

**oooo**

"That is a truly interesting spell." My father said quietly. "You are.. gauging my power, somehow?"

I nodded silently as he relaxed, letting go of me. I backed away, taking a deep breath. "You should focus on restoring your power."

I pulled the **[Mana Vial] **out of my inventory, handing it over to him. "This should help you, just a bit."

He stared at it for a long moment, before taking the vial and downing it in one go, smacking his lips at the taste. "This taste, it's been so long, but I'll never forget that familiar taste... Baba's?"

I nodded in confirmation, watching his MP go up by 2,000. He smiled slightly, before closing his eyes and slowing his breath, entering a meditative state, leaving me alone for the time being.

"I should meditate as well.." I trailed off as a new window popped up.

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!**

****Family History****

**Unlock the hidden power of your father's old bracelet and learn of your father's history.**

**-Find the fortune-teller's palace to the far west.**

**-You have reunited with your father, who finally revealed the events of the day in which he was taken from you.**

**Reward: +20 AGI, +10 All Remaining Stats, Closure**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 22 (7,900/23,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 9,257 ; [24,325]  
MP: 7,810 ; [8,067/17,386]  
Ki: 12,202 ;[16,622/32,065] **

**STR: 113 ; [202.26]  
VIT: 110 ; [196.90]  
AGI: 120 ; [214.80]  
INT: 88 ; [121.44]  
WIS: 92 ; [126.96]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 114.3, [204.7]**

**oooo**

The addition to my stats was most welcome, I thought as I quickly pulled a NutriBar and bottle of water out of my inventory, consuming both as quickly as I could. I pulled two more bars and bottles, placing them near my father and Dyran.

Then, I sat down, initiating **[Meditation]**, keeping note of my surroundings using my power.

Ten tense minutes passed, and I faintly heard the sound of wrappers being torn off, as well as a hurried rush of words from my father to the demon.

I opened my eyes to see the sight of Dyran, fumbling with the wrapper of his own NutriBar, taking a bite out of the food. Eyes lighting up, he devoured it quickly.

"So, this is Earth food!" Dyran gave a sharp toothed grin. "Delightful. Do you have more, spawn of Ren?"

I blinked at the odd form of address, before shrugging and pulling five out of my inventory, throwing four at the demon, and another to my father.

"My thanks, Ren-spawn." Dyran gave a slight nod, unwrapping the bars and eating them quickly. I watched as my father gave him instructions on how to drink from the bottle.

"This is impossibly pure!" The yellow demon said as my father greedily chugged from his own bottle. I pulled another one out for him. "You humans are truly blessed!"

"...What do you drink around here?" I asked in confusion. How could my dad have survived in this environment for years without water?

"Bloody wine." Dyran answered automatically.

At my curious look, he continued. "It is not true blood. It is a liquid formed inside of a plant in the Heartlands of Chaos. Quite the thick mixture, in fact; your father's acclimation to our food and drink was a hard one, indeed."

I looked at my dad, who tried to shrug it off. Just what have you been through? I thought.

I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped as I felt something at the edge of my perception. Something foul, and quite strong- wait, no. It was more than one creature. It was three!

"We've got company." I said quietly, pointing ahead of me. "In that direction. Three of them. Genus is not among them."

I invoked **[Insight]** as the three of us got back up, our short reprieve having refreshed us slightly.

****oooo****

****Obsidian Squad Leader****

****Jackaloon – Lv 59  
Race – Demon/Beast  
Age – 302****

****HP: 40,000  
MP: 8,000  
Ki: 27,000****

****Rep: 0/50,000 Despised****

****Jackaloon is the leader of the Obsidian Squad, a team formed by the Dreadfiend Genus who carry out his orders to attack his enemies' defenses and supply lines. They are known to enjoy causing havoc and great suffering, even in the eyes of fellow demons.****

****Jackaloon has always hated Dyran for surpassing him at every turn. Now, he has the chance to destroy him while he's weak.****

****Battle Power: 195****

****oooo****

****Obsidian Squad****

****Talon – Lv 45  
Race – Demon/Bird  
Age – 239****

****HP: 20,000  
MP: 5,000  
Ki: 10,000****

****Rep: 0/50,000 Despised****

****Talon is part of the Obsidian Squad, answering to Jackaloon and the Dreadfiend Genus. He does as he is commanded to, but is often chided for taking his time with his foes, as he loves to tear them apart with his claws slowly.****

****He plans on reducing Ren to a smear on the forest floor.****

****Battle Power: 145****

****oooo****

****Obsidian Squad****

****Thaumato Bat – Lv 41  
Race – Demon/Bat  
Age – 115****

****HP: 10,000  
MP: 15,000  
Ki: 300****

****Rep: 0/50,000 Despised****

****Newcomer to the Obsidian Squad, Thaumato Bat answers to the Archfiend Genus and his leader, Jackaloon. He does not care for mercy, and so is not above doing whatever it takes to win a battle.****

****Battle Power: 55****

****oooo****

I relayed the relevant information to my companions, who swore.

"We're not nearly recovered enough." My father said, clenching his fists with impotent anger, before forcibly calming himself down. He turned to me. "How far are they?"

"Hm." I tried to gauge the distance, and the speed at which they were moving, before noticing something. "They're headed in our general direction, but not exactly to where we are. Maybe five minutes."

"Then, we shall lay an ambush." Dyran said gravely.

"An ambush?" I repeated, looking at the yellow demon. "You're not exactly hard to miss, big guy."

At that, the big demon grinned, clenching his clawed fist and concentrating. A miasma of purple spilled out of his fist, slowly, but surely covering his entire skin.

When the light show ended, I saw that the demon's skin was now black as the stones of the fortress.

"With this skill, I was able to attack Genus without notice." Dyran said proudly, confidently.

I smiled slightly. "Maybe we can make this work, then. My skill's not as impressive as yours, but..."

I activated **[Sneak]** and leapt up one of the trees, barely making a sound.

"Remarkable." He said, though his eyes kept track of me. "It will suffice for these foes." Dyran turned to my father, and nodded to him.

"I'll just hide behind this tree. When the fighting starts, I'll throw spells your way." Dad said, giving the both of us encouraging nods.

And so, we waited.

The real threat was the leader of the squad. With Dyran injured, still in recovery, I would have to kill him, myself. He would be the main focus of the fight.

However, I planned on getting rid of Talon, first. He was a powerful fighter, and clearly planned on gunning for my father as soon as he saw him.

The magical bat demon was certainly going to be a threat, but obviously less so, due to his low level and low magic pool.

We would be able to withstand his reaction to the ambush with ease, assuming he survived for that long.

"I'm going for Talon. You go for the bat." I whispered just loud enough for Dyran to hear. "Around a minute left."

He gave a grunt of confirmation, and we waited tensely.

I gathered my wits and resolve as our targets finally came into view, talking amongst themselves as they sifted through the forest in search for us.

"-eviscerate the little shit." The bird-like humanoid said as it waved its taloned feet, its continually flapping wings keeping it airborne at all times. "Its screams will be exquisite, will they not?"

It continued to flap its wings, shedding purple feathers which gently fell to the forest floor. It looked around with keen, yellow eyes, attempting to spot either of us, with absolutely no luck.

**[Sneak]** held up just fine under its scrutiny, to my surprise. I focused back on the situation.

"I don't care about the stupid mortal." The leader, a jackal-like humanoid with brown fur, clad in leather armor and wielding curved daggers, replied uncaringly. "I just want to carve Dyran up. I've been waiting for this moment for a hundred years, now."

The dark green bat-demon said nothing, obediently following his master and awaiting further orders.

I waited patiently, watching as the group slowly made their way towards us, until the bird demon was almost directly beneath me.

I leapt downwards, rocketing towards the flying demon and slamming into its body, knees first. I felt its bones shatter under my strike even before we both smashed into the ground.

I jumped back, dodging a clumsy swipe of its claws.

It screeched in agony, its attempt at retaliation worsening its own injuries.

I gave it no mercy, stretching a hand towards it.

**-2,000 Ki!**

"Ha!" The ball of Ki flew into the beast, smashing into it and embedding it further into ground. Its cries died out.

**+7,600 XP!**

My ambush had been a complete success. Not even three seconds into the fight, and I had taken out the second strongest threat. I quickly regained focus, watching as Dyran got sent flying into one of the trees by Jackaloon.

The bat demon looked injured, but not out of the fight just yet- at least until my father leapt out of his hiding place, bathing the unfortunate creature in flames.

I ignored its pain filled wail as I intercepted the Jackal demon, who was lunging toward the now downed Dyran, who seemed to be having trouble getting back up.

I should've realized.

My powers of regeneration were broken, this I knew. But, to see them compared side by side with another person truly showed how broken they were.

Most creatures, I assumed demons were included if this was any indication, required weeks upon weeks of recovery to actually get past such injuries, whereas I needed about half an hour of meditation.

Dyran talked big, but he was in no condition to do anything but run.

Still, he managed to mitigate the second threat, I thought as I landed a flying kick onto Jackaloon, sending him flying into one of the sturdy trees.

Having bought myself a few seconds, I turned to the bat demon and held a hand out, sending a **[Ki Ball]** at him with no fanfare.

**-1,500 Ki!**

The demon, realizing it was in danger, cast a spell at the ball, making it explode a short distance away from it.

The concussive force of my attack still sent it tumbling away, right into the path of another one of my father's flame spells, turning it to cinders.

**+1,000 XP!**

Only that much? I guessed it was because Dyran and my dad did most of the work...

"Ah, the meddling child from the mortal world." Jackaloon spit a tooth out as he stood before me, daggers in hand. "You are stronger than I expected."

What? How did he know about me?

I'd killed anything that I faced up against.

"Confused?" The demon gave a grin, twirling and juggling his daggers around with an ease born of decades of practice. "One of your foes survived an encounter with you, and reported it to our leader. A powerful human, he said."

Someone survived? Who?

I racked my brain to figure it out, but was drawing blanks.

Wait. The Horse Knight! I hadn't received experience from him.

I hadn't really thought about it until now. So, what?

They can fake their own deaths, too? I tore that thing apart! What sort of magic was this, to fool me so completely? I hadn't even felt any probe, so, it couldn't have been a mental intrusion.

Perhaps a body double with a transition so swift and seamless it seemed as if nothing had changed?

Either way, it was a great cause of concern.

"I see you understand." Jackaloon continued to gloat- I guessed it was a species-wide trait. "We know all about you, now."

I shivered slightly, his ominous words throwing me off for a moment, before I shook the feeling off.

They didn't know all about me. They knew what the Horse Knight knew, and that was the extent of my physical strength, speed, my use of **[Ki Ball]** and **[Tiger Claw]**.

It was a lot of information, all things considered, but I still had a few tricks up my sleeve.

**-45 MP!**

"Just because you know it's coming." I snarled, blue light emanating from my body as the **[Mana Shield]** took hold. "Doesn't mean that you can stop it."

"I wonder about that..." Jackaloon retorted, catching both daggers and rushing me.

The fight was on.


	23. Chapter 22

**oooo  
Chapter 22  
oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, August 8, Demon World**

'Fast!' That was my thought when Jackaloon began his onslaught.

I lunged to the left, avoiding his dagger's straight stab and sending a left roundhouse kick in the hopes of knocking him over, only for him to retaliate with his second dagger, driving it into my leg and drawing a sharp intake of breath from me.

**-1,500 MP!**

**-1,600 HP!**

**oooo**

**You have been inflicted with the debuff [Poisoned]!**

**oooo**

**Poisoned: -100 HP every second for 40 seconds.**

**oooo**

His dagger pierced through the **[Mana Shield]!**

I jumped back to get some distance between us, but Jackaloon was having none of it, easily following me with his ridiculous speed.

**-5,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!"** I snarled, blasting him with my Ki at point blank range. The demon merely moved to the side, easily out of the way of the ball. He grinned as he made to thrust his second dagger at me.

**-200 Ki!**

"**Concussion!" **I screamed, the ball exploding at his exposed side and sending both of us flying.

**-1,400 MP!**

I smashed into a tree, the impact taking the breath out of me and disorienting me. I fell down, looking around wildly, eyes finally focusing on the downed form of the Jackaloon.

With no hesitation, I fired at him once more.

**-8,000 Ki!**

The ball flew towards him, but he managed to dodge it in time, the ball exploding harmlessly against the ground as he dashed towards me again.

We engaged in a deadly dance of steel and speed, furious stabs meeting desperate parries, dodges and blocks— it was fortunate that his daggers did not possess cutting edges, I realized as the fight went on.

Jackaloon then did something unexpected. Mid-fight, he threw his dagger toward me, the poisonous tip gleaming as it whistled through the air to strike at me.

I went on my hands and knees, feeling it graze my **[Mana Shield]** and bounce off harmlessly, spinning in midair with a loud clang.

**-800 MP!**

Realizing my error, I tried to get up as quickly as I could, only to receive a kick to the face, sending me tumbling back a few paces.

**-1,000 MP!**

I scrambled to my feet once again, watching the demon snatch his dagger in midair and get into an attacking position.

His weapon at the ready, he charged at me and twisted his body, skewing his movements and disrupting whatever counter move I was thinking up.

So, instead, I leapt straight up, easily reaching above the treeline.

A familiar loud whistling noise caught my attention from below— Jackaloon had thrown his dagger toward me!

I grabbed the staff on my back and slashed it downward, hitting the dagger and sending it flying to the side.

The staff made flared with red energy, but I paid it no heed and continued to channel mana into the wooden focus as I began to descend.

**-2,500 MP!**

"**Frizz!**" I roared and clashed with Jackaloon once more, taking a dagger to the stomach for my trouble.

**-2,000 MP!**

**-2,500 HP!**

**The [Poisoned] debuff has gained a stack!**

It was a necessary sacrifice, I thought as I held onto the demon's arm and shoved the searing hot ball of fire into his face while stepping to the side and striking at the back of his knee, destabilizing him.

He struggled against my grip, trying to stab me with his other dagger, but his strikes were weakened, his awkward position disallowing him from making any major moves.

**-500 MP!**

**-600 MP!**

**-400 MP!**

**-300 MP!**

**-50 MP!**

Blow by blow, his stabs weakened, until they barely did any damage— not that I let up on him. I pressed on, shoving the unrelenting ball of flame further against the jackal demon's face.

No mercy.

Eventually, even the creature's feeble twitches stopped altogether, and a set of windows appeared.

**oooo**

**+10,400 XP!**

**oooo**

**Ping!  
You have gained a level!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 23 (2,900/24,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 9,257 ; [17,421/24,325] {Poisoned x2}  
MP: 7,810 ; [6,251/17,511]  
Ki: 12,202 ;[19,010/32,210]**

**STR: 113 ; [202.26]  
VIT: 110 ; [196.90]  
AGI: 120 ; [214.80]  
INT: 88 ; [121.44]  
WIS: 92 ; [126.96]**

**Points: 5**

**Battle Power: 114.3, [204.7]**

**oooo**

With a thought, the flame burning the deceased demon's face off winked out of existing, revealing the molten, charred remains of the demon's visage.

I let go of it, faintly hearing a thud onto the ground as my father approached me from behind one of the nearby trees.

"Ten..!" I heard him say as he looked me over for any sign of injury. "Are you okay? You're.. Unharmed? How...?"

"In a way." I avoided the question, running the numbers through my head. The poison debuff, while stacked, would take me down to around 12,000 HP… Well, discounting my passive health regeneration, anyway. "It's a part of my power. How's Dyran?"

"I am unfit for battle." The call came from the nearby demon. He was still lying on the forest floor, staying completely still in a likely vain attempt to recover some form of energy. "As we are, the Dreadfiend will kill us all with no issue."

Speak for yourself, I thought as I deactivated my **[Mana Shield]** and swiped the now deceased Jackaloon's daggers, activating **[Insight]** on each.

I received the same window, twice, and a third, so I dismissed one and read through the other two:

**oooo**

**Stinger**

**Item: Weapon  
Rarity: Unearthly**

**Description: Lacking an actual cutting blade, this weapon's design is a simple spike with an extremely sharp point— it is only meant to stab things with.**

**Deceptively simple, as the venom coating the blade will quickly weaken your foe.**

**oooo**

**Would you like to equip this weapon?**

**Y/N**

**oooo**

Poisoning enemies didn't really sound like my style; but, I'd take whatever I could get at this point. As soon as I pressed on "Y", one of the two sheaths on Jackaloon's waist disappeared, before reappearing around mine.

Convenient, I mused as I holstered one weapon, discarded the other and pulled more consumables from my inventory in order to extend my recovery period.

"We need to move." I said, frowning heavily. "If we can get to the portal, we're good. We just need to make it there."

"I can no longer move well. My injuries are too severe." Dyran said, slowly pushing himself up to his full height with obvious strain.

"You can still run, can you not?" I cut in.

"Yes, but I cannot carry—"

"—I'll carry him myself." I snapped and gestured for my father to come over. "Get on."

"..." Ren looked like he wanted to protest, but what else could he do in such a weakened state? "I may not be able to carry myself very far, but I can do _this_ at least."

He motioned for Dyran to come, placing his hand on the large yellow demon's armor and focusing. It glowed yellow for a few moments, before fading away into nothing.

It was a speed raise, probably similar to my acceleration spell.

Ren sagged noticeably and allowed me to carry him on my back. With a determined look, our rush towards the portal began, with my keeping my senses peeled for anything chasing us.

Barely two minutes after we'd left, I detected no less than fifteen presences in our previous spot.

"Fuck." I swore.

"Company?" Dyran asked in a hurried tone.

"At least fifteen." I kept the reply to the bare bones. "They haven't caught onto our scent yet, I think we can gain a great deal of distance before they ever notice."

"Unlikely, we have tracking units." Dyran refuted, before grunting. "Then again, perhaps not; I assume you killed Nev the Lump?"

"Yeah." I confirmed. "One of the first few actually."

"Nevermind, then." He said. "All the trackers are dead."

"Don't be foolish." My dad cut in. "Our only method of escape is the portal. Therefore—"

"—I don't think they can post guards swiftly enough to stop us, considering the only group that came close was Jackaloon's little squad." I said reasonably, trying to run the numbers through my head.

"There's no sense in wondering. That portal is our only chance of escaping this place." I said with finality, pointing my hand at Dyran.

**-1,500 MP!**

"**[Accelerate]!"** The yellow energy suffused into him. Then, I pointed it towards myself as Dyran sped past me with ease.

**-1,500 MP!**

**-500 Ki!**

"**[Accelerate]! [Sprint]!"** I called out and gained enough speed to match my much taller ally.

All in; I decided.

The next ten minutes were spent in a frantic mess of turns, checks and group avoidance.

We almost got caught halfway through, but Dyran had mustered what little power he'd managed to recover and destroyed the weak skeleton sentry in one swift strike, discarding his broken sword after the fact.

Finally, after a grueling run, we were at the portal, bursting forth from the treeline into the small, empty clearing.

But, company awaited in the form of yet another demon, languidly stretching as it regarded the portal.

Distinctly feminine in appearance, she turned to us with a grin, showing a strangely clean set of molars.

No incisors, no canines. Only molars. After dealing with the rest of the demonfolk here, this was an odd change of pace- aside from Nev the Lump Mage, who had no teeth, the rest possessed absolutely disgusting teeth.

She was blue-skinned, with long flowing dark hair that reached past her shoulders. She glared at us, Dyran in particular, her eyes glowing a bright amber.

Dressed in a tight, copper-colored abbreviated jacket, shorts and knee-high boots, she cut quite the attractive figure.

With a gloved hand, she brushed her hair behind her ear, before drawing the sword strapped to her side, her glare not abating in the slightest.

"Aira, I-" Dyran tried to speak, but was quieted with nothing but a look from the woman.

"I'll deal with you later, Dyran." He visibly quailed under the tone of her voice.

Who was this?

On instinct, I latched onto her power and invoked **[Insight]**.

**Oooo  
Rhythmic Death**

**Aira – Level 71  
Race – Demon  
Age – ?**

**HP: 38,000  
MP: 30,000  
Ki: 40,000**

**Rep: ?**

**#)%*)#%**

**An interesting spell, young mortal. Are you satisfied with my power?**

**oooo**

**Error: [Insight] has been detected and largely rebuffed.**

**oooo**

Largely, huh?

She saw through it, but I had gleaned enough valuable information: she was strong, perhaps even a match for me.

What statistics I was able to see were higher than Dyran's. She was older, stronger, faster, possessed more magic and Ki. Or, perhaps, she was craftier— had she fooled my probe into having it say whatever she pleased?

One thing was for sure; this one was dangerous.

And yet, she still did not attack. In fact, she had barely even moved.

Her sword was drawn, yes; but she held it loosely at her side, completely at ease with the situation. She was either supremely confident in her skills, or she simply didn't care.

I'd taken considerable damage, used most of my power and staked everything on our escape route, but that was a failure, now.

"I will ask this once." The demoness, Aira, said, looking at the battle worn Dyran. "Why? Why betray Lord Genus?"

A long, tense moment passed in the clearing. I got ready to set my father down, muscles coiling in readiness for a fight I wasn't sure I could survive.

Jackaloon had been bad enough, and he had been much weaker than this... Aira.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the demoness merely looked in my direction and placed the top of her index against her light lips- a clear sign to be quiet, or else, judging by the dangerous look in her eyes.

"We deserve better than this." Dyran caught Aira's attention with his bold claim. "We were meant to be more than servants, serving under Genus' thumb."

"Is that so?" Aira looked supremely amused as she took a few graceful steps forward. "And, who taught you this? The captive, or the child?"

"...Neither." Dyran frowned and walked in front of me and my father, standing in opposition to a foe he could not possibly hope to defeat in his current state. "I guess it's something that's always been on my mind, elder sister. I just seriously considered it only recently."

_That_ was his sister? But, they looked almost nothing alike! Different skin tones, facial features, eye shape, etc.

Another long moment passed, before the demoness threw her head back and laughed, sheathing her sword as she did so.

"Finally wised up, huh? Let's go, then." She said flippantly, gesturing toward the portal.

A wave of shock passed through me as I absorbed her words.

"W-what?" Dyran was the first to react.

"Just like that?" My father asked dubiously.

"Yes." She nodded. "I never liked Genus, anyway. The way he looks at me. Ugh. Thinks he owns me."

Her pupils turned to slits as she spoke. "_Nobody_ owns me."

"Is that so?" The air grew heavy and thick with power, hitting me with its weight and forcing me down slightly.

Quickly, Dyran and I turned to face the newest threat. I set my father down, and he quickly moved to the backline.

The demon before us stood tall, even taller than Dyran had been. Armed with a large scimitar and shield, Genus was covered in golden armor from head to toe, with his face as his only visible skin.

And, what a face it was!

He had four eyes— two on each side, all moving independently of each other. He snarled, showing extremely sharp teeth as he did so.

"Genus." Aira appeared between Dyran and I, standing in the lead. "I see you made it here. I wasn't expecting such a speedy arrival."

"Aira." Genus called out, all eyes focusing on her. "You've betrayed me, as well?"

A moment passed before Aira drew her sword. "Does this answer your question?"

"Why?" He all but sputtered in rage. "Just why!?"

"Who knows?" She gave a careless shrug. "I just want to have fun. This seemed like the most enjoyment I'd be able to get out of the situation."

"You forsook your loyalties for… a _fun_ time? I don't believe a word you're saying!" Genus sputtered, power slowly building as he slowly lost hold of his anger.

Beside me, Dyran was trying hard not to palm his face.

"Dyran." She barked at her brother, who flinched. "How about you sit this one out?"

It was not a question. Dyran did as he was told.

Then, she glanced towards me, giving me a pointed look.

"If you think I'm going to sit on the sidelines while you risk yourself—" She completely disappeared from view, and I felt a rush of air behind me.

On instinct, I dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding a strike against the back of my head, which would have sent me crashing next to Dyran and my father.

"What the hell was that for!" I snarled, quickly getting back up as I rubbed the back of my head. "You could've killed me with that!"

Her composure broke, displaying her unbridled shock at the ineffectiveness of her attack for only a moment, before she assumed her disinterested look once more. "You're faster than I anticipated. That was meant to knock you out."

"Well, _don't _do that again…" I gave her the harshest glare I could muster, but she only shrugged uncaringly.

"Fine, you may join in." She conceded, sounding disappointed. "But, if you get in my way…"

I opened my mouth to answer, but was forced to dive to the floor once again, narrowly avoiding a black ball of lightning aimed straight for my head.

The Dreadfiend sneered, and clapped his hands together, a loud thunderclap filling the air as he charged another spell.

"Shit!" I swore and pointed both hands, charging up whatever power I had remaining. I saw the great demon's four eyes widen as they all focused onto me. "All in! **HA!"**

**-19,000 Ki!**

An absolutely massive ball of Ki flew out of my hands, flying towards my enemy at a speed belying its size.

With a snarl, Genus launched his electric attack, colliding with the ball of Ki only a few meters from him. The explosion was massive, enough to send me skidding back a few feet as I crossed my arms in an attempt to weather the shockwave.

The dust settled quickly, revealing Genus' demonic visage snarling at me.

"You dare draw blood from me!" He almost shrieked. His shield had been totally destroyed; his armor had been bent and broken in many places. Blood speed out of the cracks, staining his once majestic figure.

Invoking **[Insight]**, I read through the demon's stat sheet.

**oooo**

**Dreadfiend**

**Genus - Lv 92  
Race - Demon  
Age - 3,556**

**HP: 35,000/75,000  
MP: 25,000/45,000  
Ki: 15,000/60,000**

**Rep: 0/50,000 Despised**

**The dreadfiend Genus is a monstrous demon who only wishes to inflict death, destruction and chaos unto the world of the living. His plans were thwarted by an upstart human many years ago, but he kept the human as a plaything, torturing it often for information, but mostly for fun.**

**Eventually, he pieced together the information required to undo the sealing spell the disgusting human latched onto his portal, but was betrayed at the last moment by his right hand, Dyran.**

**He plans on killing this new upstart, this **_**child**_** who dared to oppose him. He'll keep the boy's head as a trophy, and plans on showing it to the boy's father as a constant reminder of his place.**

**Battle Power: 312**

**oooo**

I'd done that much damage? I ran the numbers through my head. With that much Ki, I was set to have done over 85,000 damage…

The fact that the blast didn't outright kill him was impressive in and of itself. A mixture of his shield, armor and a Ki shield, as well as his quick thinking in detonating the attack before it actually hit him…

That had been all of the Ki I had left. A quick check through my stats showed that I had around half of my health, and a paltry amount of MP.

Meanwhile, Genus still had plenty of reserve power.

Quick as lightning, Aira leapt over the Dreadfiend, sword pointed straight down in an attempt to spear him vertically.

Genus saw the attack coming, jumping back slightly, before drawing his scimitar and slashing at the demoness horizontally.

Aira quickly switched her grip on her sword, just in time for her to successfully parry the strike, though it sent her tumbling back a few times.

With her free hand, she pushed off of the ground, flipping backwards to right herself.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she brandished her blade, a copper energy forming around it as she charged the great demon once more.

Nodding to myself, I pulled my newest acquisition out of its sheath, holding it in my right hand. The pointed tip of the **[Stinger]** gleamed in the light of this hellish dimension.

I sat back, steeling myself and closely watching every second of the fight, knowing that I would have a single chance at this.

Aira fought with incredible dexterity, speed and strength, quite easily dodging everything the Dreadfiend had to offer— at the beginning, at least.

She began to slow down, as time went on.

Strikes that had seemed so easy to dodge earlier we coming quite close, now. She was also out of breath, from what I could tell. Still, the grin never left her face— so consumed by her lust for battle she was.

It would be her undoing.

Finally, she succumbed to the Dreadfiend's greater stamina, taking a large cut over her chest, sending her flying back into one of the unyielding trees.

I launched myself into the battle the moment that occurred, ignoring the loud snap that the demoness' body had made on impact.

With a snap kick, the large demon's great scimitar flew off to the side, smashing into the forest floor with a loud clang.

Twisting on one foot, I dove into the Dreadfiend's guard, sinking the dagger into the break in his armor, right over where a human's kidneys would be.

Genus roared in pain as he staggered backward.

I held onto his much larger body, keeping myself relatively stable as I stabbed him once, twice, thrice more before he began to retaliate, smashing his fist down in the hopes of crushing me into a pulp.

But, I was ready.

**-3,000 MP!**

"**[Ironize]!"** I incanted quickly, my MP reaching around the same level as my Ki had. Just in time, Genus' fist impacted against me with a loud and shrill clang, my skin and bone having gained the consistency of hard steel in that one moment.

**-3,600 HP!**

"Argh!" He roared, throwing my immobile body off him before cradling his damaged fist.

**-50 HP!**

That initial strike would have killed me, I realized as the effects of **[Ironize]** wore off, my skin color returning to its original tone. I backed away from the gigantic creature, knowing what I had to do, but unsure of how to do it.

I had to stall as the poison inside of him did its work. He was under four stacks of poison, meaning that he would be receiving a total of 16,000 damage over the next 160 seconds. I had to last around three minutes against him.

"You filthy wretch!" The Dreadfiend snarled as he continued to stagger, experiencing a significant loss in balance— was this one of the venom's effects? "I'll kill you!"

Genus had lost all remaining composure, instead choosing to abandon all strategy and come at me in pure rage. I dodged his charge, surprised at my ability to do so, before realizing what was going on.

Stepping to the right, I easily dodged his clumsy swipe, stabbing the dagger into his forearm and delivering more of the potent venom. From then on, the battle had been decided.

I took advantage of his weakened state, mercilessly driving the dagger into any opening I could get away with, dodging his progressively weakening retaliatory strikes.

Eventually, the great demon fell to his knees before me; a weak, but hateful glare was still set in his eyes, even as his own end came.

One thrust through one of his eyes, and the deed was done.

**+15,000 XP!**

**oooo**

**Quest Updated**

**Demon Bane**

**-Head north, and investigate the disturbance in the world's flow!**

**You've discovered that the disturbance was a hole in reality, leading to the Demon World, somewhere wholly separate from both the worlds of the living and of the dead.**

**-Close the portal.**

**Having killed the Dreadfiend, the link between the Demon and Mortal Worlds has been severed.**

**-Enter the portal before it closes!**

**Reward: 15,000 XP, ?  
Failure Penalty: Death**

**oooo**

Quickly reading through the quest, I holstered my dagger and waved off whatever praise my father and Dyran were about to heap on me. "No time for that! We have to go, _now!_"

I grabbed the unconscious Aira, carrying her over my shoulder as we all rushed to the hole in reality, diving into the blackness of the void between worlds.

"This is the mortal world?" Dyran said, after a moment, confused as we flew away from the demon realm's gate at ridiculous speeds.

"No." I denied, adjusting my grip on the demoness over my back, realizing where my hand had been grabbing her. "This is.. Somewhere in between, I think. I'm not sure."

I stared back towards the small red dot in the distance, wondering if there was anything I could have done better— but I had no answer.

I'd done the job I set out to do, and the portal to the Demon World was now closing. I glanced at Dyran for a moment.

He, Genus and Aira had been the only fighters who weren't referred to as low level soldiers in the Demon Army.

I was barely able to deal with what amounted to be the Demon Realm's weakest fighting forces. I hadn't even thought they were weak..

A small group of these demons could lay waste to the Earth, entirely. I faintly wondered what the strongest demons from that realm could do. What kind of force could they really muster, if given the opportunity?

How would we even survive if something like this happened again?

The short flare of fear erased itself as the hole leading back into the human realm appeared in the distance, greatly lifting everyone's spirits.

The portal spat the four of us out with a loud smack. Exhausted, Dyran completely lost his footing, falling on his face and dropping my father along with him.

I, on the other hand, landed lightly on my feet, the area surrounding me strangely invigorating. I marveled in my surroundings, feeling like I'd been away from home for years, rather than the hour it had truly been.

I set Aira down gently on the earthen ground, fully taking in my surroundings for a moment. The sun was setting, so I hadn't been away for too long.

Turning, I noted that the portal was quickly shrinking in size, before moving toward my father, untangling him from Dyran and getting him up to his feet.

"After all this time..." My father loosened his hold on me as he slowly set himself down on familiar, yet extremely foreign ground to him at this point. "I'm home."

I looked at my father's tired face, aglow with the orange and red rays of the sun as it slowly set in the distance. As if a dam burst within him, he began to cry, the situation finally getting to him.

"This is a dream." He kept repeating, over and over.

Sitting by him, I wrapped my arms around the older man, and allowed my own tears to fall, ignoring any window popups that appeared as the portal finally winked out of existence behind us.

"No dream, dad." I said softly. "Welcome home."


	24. Chapter 23

**oooo  
Chapter 23  
oooo**

**Age 749, Thursday, August 8, Wilderness**

It had been a few hours since we'd closed the portal to the Demon World. The sun, which was already setting by the time we'd made it here, was now completely gone, replaced by the dark shroud of night.

Understandably, both my father and Dyran had shortly succumbed to their injuries and fallen asleep in a tent I'd quickly pitched— complete with sleeping bags.

I'd been worried at the start, but a few uses of **[Insight]** had shown that my companions' lives weren't in any immediate danger— it was not as if I could have done anything, even if they were.

Staring down at the familiar man's heavily worn, but peaceful visage worked greatly to settle my frayed nerves.

My father was truly alive. It was mind boggling, but he was really here!

Never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned such a scenario.

I sighed deeply before checking over the final person in our ragtag group. I'd managed to put her in another one of my sleeping bags, but a sleepy swipe on her part made me leery of doing anything further.

Perhaps now was a good time to throw **[Insight]** on her. I gently exerted my power, latching a tendril of my energy with hers and invoking the observational skill.

**oooo  
Rhythmic Death**

**Aira - Level 71  
Race - Demon  
Age - 328**

**HP: 3,240/38,000 [Broken Legs/Crippled]  
MP: 5,000/30,000  
Ki: 1,500/40,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Dyran's elder sister; she craves the fight, and will gladly go into a losing battle if it meant she would have fun. She is currently recovering from the fatal wounds she received in the battle against the Dreadfiend.**

**Battle Power: 250  
Current BP: 25 [Weakened]  
oooo**

"Two fifty." I was surprised at the number. "What a fighter… No wonder she could match that monster so easily."

Dismissing the window, I finally began to check through my notifications.

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!**

**Demon Bane**

**The Fortuneteller Baba sent you on a quest to investigate the disturbance in Planet Earth's spiritual flow. You ended up discovering that the disturbance was actually a hole in reality which led to the Demon World— a wholly separate realm from both the Living World and Otherworld.**

**Being the brave fighter of justice that you are, you boldly entered the Demonic domain and defeated the invasion force, while gaining new allies and reuniting with family!**

**Reward: 15,000 XP, 40,000 XP, Demon Slayer Title!**

**oooo**

**Demon Slayer: 10% increased damage to Demons.**

**oooo**

**You've gained a Moderate attunement to your Wizard Staff!**

**Wizard Staff**

**Item: Weapon**

**Rarity: Arcane**

**Description: Imbued with fire magic, this staff is able to convert your Mana into a low level spell: [Frizz].**

**+5,000 Max MP / [10,000 Max MP] (Moderate Attunement Required)/ +20,000 Max MP (Full Attunement Required)**

**Frizz: The standard flame spell, a fireball used to sear your enemy.**

**oooo**

**[Ki Ball] has leveled up several times!**

**Ki Ball (Lv 44 - 55%/Active):Since time immemorial, living creatures have learned to harness their life energy and bring it to the surface. The Ki Ball is the most basic of techniques.**

**It has a base cost of 300 Ki and deals 1050 damage. Further damage will require more Ki, at the same ratio of cost. Note that the Ki Ball will become larger and slower the more Ki you inject into it.**

**oooo**

**[Martial Arts] has leveled up several times!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 49 - 42%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 50%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

**[Ki User] has leveled up several times!**

**Ki User (Lv 31 - 23%/Passive): Ki is like a muscle, the more you exert it, the more powerful it becomes! 40% Increase in your Ki pool.**

**oooo**

**You have leveled up twice!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 26 (12,900/27,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 9,457 ; [27,022]  
MP: 8,010 ; [22,886]  
Ki: 12,402 ;[36,850]**

**STR: 113 ; [212.44]  
VIT: 110 ; [206.80]  
AGI: 120 ; [225.60]  
INT: 88 ; [121.44]  
WIS: 92 ; [126.96]**

**Points: 20**

**Battle Power: 114.3, [215]**

**oooo**

"Holy…" I said slowly as I read through the notifications. I'd gained so much power in such a short time. The old lady was not going to recognize me when I came back.

Hell, I could barely recognize myself!

The thing that was even more ridiculous was the fact that I was already completely healed. It had barely taken an hour.

Aira mumbled something, but it was too low for me to hear.

"Huh?"

She mumbled again, one of her amber eyes opening slightly to take my form in. "Dr-Dr-ink…"

I called my inventory up and pulled a bottle of water out. I unscrewed the cap and knelt by the Demoness' side, gently lifting her head. She hissed in pain, but greedily drank from the bottle until it was empty.

"Another." Her voice came out much better, though it was still raspy.

I snorted and pulled ten more bottles out of my inventory as well as a good number of NutriBars. Aira's comically wide eyes were amusing, to say the least.

As with all things, however, it was not to last.

"Why are you helping me?" She rasped between bites a minute later, thankfully no longer needing my help to feed herself.

I frowned in slight confusion. "I don't see any reason not to."

She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the sound of flapping wings.

In the span of the instant it took for me to process the noise, I had already spun into position to intercept the pterodactyl's dive, invoking **[Insight] **as I did so**.**

**oooo**

**Pterodactyl - Lv 23  
Race - Dinosaur  
Age - 18**

**HP: 5,000**

**An opportunistic, predatory species, the pterodactyl has evolved a very sharp beak with which it pierces its prey, rendering it easy to consume.**

**This one wants to eat Aira.**

**Battle Power: 55**

**oooo**

I read the description as the pterodactyl and I fell together, crashing into the ground in a heap.

**-100 HP**

I gave the offending creature a kick to the head and watched its eyes bug out, my much more powerful legs pulping its brain in a single instant.

**+1,000 XP!**

I stared at the dead creature for a few seconds, completely awed by my own strength. That had taken no effort whatsoever!

How powerful had I become in the span of a few hours? My HP and Ki had doubled, and my MP had risen quite significantly, as well.

It made me wonder just how strong I would eventually become. Master Roshi was already capable of reducing mountains to rubble, and my Battle Power was now almost a match for his!

Was I already able to destroy mountains with my Ki?

"You going to eat that thing?" Aira interrupted my musing. I blinked, turning my eyes to the Demoness for a moment, before staring at the corpse at my feet.

"...No sense in wasting such readily available food." I agreed and got to work, going through the motions of my **[Butchering]** skill.

Within ten minutes, I had the pterodactyl skinned, gutted, thoroughly cleaned, chopped to bits and held over a fire in a set of well placed skewers.

"Don't know why you're going through all of this trouble." Aira complained, the smell of cooking flesh bothering her.

"You don't cook meat in the Demon world?" I threw her a glance. She stared back, nonplussed.

I supposed that was the answer I would get.

I snorted. "I should have figured. You all have fire but you don't even use it."

"Only our 'glorious leader'." She sneered. "Had the pleasure of tasting cooked meat. The rest of us weren't allowed to. Who cares, anyway? Food is food."

"Food is food." I repeated, a smirk forming on my face. "And yet, I can see your mouth watering from the smell. So, which one's right: what you're saying, or your body's reactions?"

Aira growled, an intimidating noise that sent a shiver through my body.

I raised my hands in mock defeat as my father and Dyran began to stir awake from the smell and noise.

"I'm just saying! Besides." I pulled a skewer away from the flame and inspected it, before holding it near Aira's mouth. "Cooking food improves your digestion and the absorption of nutrients— it doesn't matter what race you are."

Her resistance crumbled: she grabbed the skewer and began to tear into the meat like it was the first meal she'd ever had.

I felt my father and Dyran take seats nearby, helping themselves to the well-done pterodactyl.

"This is amazing!" Dyran near-moaned as he consumed the meat at a rate even faster than his sister. "You were so right, Ren. Earth food is marvelous."

The man in question snorted as he chewed on a small morsel. "This is just the tip of the iceberg, Dyran. I have greatly missed the appeal of proper food."

"Tip of the iceberg." Dyran nodded, completely ignoring the other man's point. "You must take me to the iceberg sometime so that I may understand your fondness of that phrase."

I snorted involuntarily. It seemed my father's propensity for spouting random sayings and proverbs carried over to his captivity. Even in a literal version of Hell, my father hadn't been completely broken.

His eyes met my own for a moment before he smiled wide and moved to sit by me.

"No, don't force yourself so much." I protested, but the words fell on deaf ears.

"It's all right." Ren replied, finished his skewer and grabbed two more, handing one to me. "You should eat, too. You went through the trouble. Plus, I haven't seen you have a single bite!"

"I… Don't really need to eat." I hedged. "Not technically, anyway."

He stared at me for a second, still holding the skewer up. I obliged and began to eat alongside him. The meat tasted bland, but it was fine regardless.

"I take it that your lack of hunger has something to do with how you have not suffered any crippling damage from any of the fights you've been in?" My father asked quietly.

_He's very perceptive_. I thought as I threw him a glance.

"Yes." I nodded in confirmation. "My life is a video game."

Ren stopped mid-bite, eyes going a little wide. "...Really?"

I nodded and elaborated. "An RPG."

"You're serious?" He seemed awed. "Like, with levels, and stats and skills?"

"Yup." I confirmed.

A long moment passed, and then—

"That's amazing!" Ren blurted out. "Wait, is that what it was you were doing with me before, by reading my stats?"

"That's right. Your magic is very powerful, d-dad." I hesitated at the last word, still feeling awkward saying it. His gaze softened, and he placed an arm around my shoulder.

"I know you said it was all right." Ren said quietly. "But you still ended up spending years of your life without me. It's my fault."

"No, I know what you're going to say, son." Ren cut off my reply. "But, it's the truth. I wasn't there for you or for Jean."

"...You weren't." I conceded the point. "But I don't hate you for it, dad. Neither does mom."

"You really think so?" He seemed a little nervous. "She hasn't, um… Moved on?"

I blinked at his question, my mind automatically thinking of Kai. There might have been something slowly brewing there, but neither my mom nor Kai had hinted at having a relationship— at least, their character sheers hadn't said anything of the sort.

I rather doubted my mom would go for Kai if she knew my father was alive, anyway.

"I'm not sure." I hedged carefully, not wanting to give the man too much hope.

I gave a nervous laugh. "It's not something I bring up with her, you know? It'd be a little… awkward."

"She _does _go into excruciating detail, at times." Ren agreed, leaning back slightly and sighing in contentment. "That was good food."

"Yes." I agreed, grabbing a few skewers and handing them to Aira, before continuing to finish mine.

"What will you do?" I asked after a minute of quiet eating and contemplation.

"..." My father didn't reply immediately, staring into the roaring flame with great intent. "I'm going to South City. To Jean."

He turned his gaze to me. "Will you come with me, son?"

**oooo  
New Quest!  
Reunion**

**After his long, grueling and torturous years in the Demon Realm, your father, Ren, has the chance to make his previously discarded dream come true: to reunite with his loving wife and make the family whole once again.**

**Will you help your father?**

**Accept / Deny  
oooo**

"Do you even need to ask?" I replied while hitting Accept, swallowing down the sudden lump in my throat.

Ren let out a half-laugh, half-sob. "I suppose not. I love you, Ten."

"...Love you too, dad."

"Another." Aira growled impatiently from her sleeping bag. "Hurry it up!"

I rolled my eyes and handed her a few more skewers. "Calm down. The food's not running anywhere."

"Don't make me say it again." She said threateningly.

"Yeah?" I smirked, holding the skewer just out of her weakened reach. "What are you going to do if I make you say it again?"

Aira stared at me. "I will break every bone in your body when I'm healed."

"Strong words." I smiled slightly and handed her the skewer. "I look forward to that fight."

A glint appeared in her eyes. "Just you wait."

I was about to say something else, but something in the distance caught my eye. In front of the slowly rising moon, I glimpsed a strange silhouette— a winged creature.

I narrowed my eyes; who was that? Did some Demons make it through the portal as I was battling against Genus— maybe when I was infiltrating the fortress?

I _had_ left the portal unsupervised for quite some time, after all.

"What is that?" I asked out loud, pointing.

"I'm… not sure." Ren said beside me, gazing into the distance. "My eyes aren't what they used to be… Wait… I think it's Akkuman!"

I glanced at my father for a moment before focusing my attention back to the figure. "Are you sure?"

"I'd recognize that silhouette anywhere!" Was his answer.

I kept my gaze on the figure until it landed in front of us. It was a tall, dark blue furred demon, complete with wings, tail and an actual _trident_.

He, clearly male, crossed his powerfully built arms as he stared down at us, his eyes resting on myself, and then on Ren for a very long moment.

"Imagine my surprise when Baba tells me she sent the new recruit to deal with the same problem his own father failed to deal with." The voice that came out of the tall demon's mouth was surprisingly cultured and almost delicate. "I trust there's a good story behind this?"

"You can say that." I answered, glancing above the creature's head to make this was indeed Akkuman.

**oooo**

**The Devil  
Akkuman - Lv 48**

**oooo**

I breathed a sigh of relief as he approached.

"Ten, the new recruit." Akkuman looked me over. "I can see why Baba holds you in high esteem. You are quite strong."

I blinked, caught off-guard by the praise. "Thank you."

"I take it your mission succeeded?" Akkuman asked, his eyes straying to the two injured, wary demons before resting on my father. "It has been a while, Ren."

"Yes." Ren struggled to get up before wobbling his way to the blue furred devil. "It has."

I rushed to his side and helped him walk. "You shouldn't be moving so much! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Both Ren and Akkuman snorted.

"Ren never truly understood the need for rest." Akkuman rolled his eyes before extending his hand to the man in question. "It's good to have you back. Your 'death' has weighed on Baba's mind for too long."

Ren took the offered hand, shaking it firmly. "It's good to be back. I hope my return will ease the old crone's worries, as well as a few other people in my life."

He directed a look towards me. I only smiled in response.

"Come, sit!" Ren gestured to an open spot by the fire. "I suppose you're eager to hear the story."

Akkuman stared at us for a long moment, before moving to the offered position. "I was going to fly us back to Baba's Palace, but I suppose I'll listen to your tale beforehand."

"Wonderful!" Ren took his previous seat. "Help yourself to the pterodactyl."

And so I sat, listening to my father speak and watching the shine gradually grow in his eyes as he slowly began to realize that the nightmare was truly over.

I could at least hope he was.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Friday, August 9 (3:00 AM), Baba's Palace**

"So, you found the disturbance." Baba said later that night.

"Yes." I confirmed, watching my father, Aira and Dyran all being hauled to the upper floor so they could sleep and recover in proper beds.

"And it turned out to be an opening to the Demon Realm?"

"Correct."

"And, instead of surveying the area and coming back, you…" Baba trailed off.

"Went into the Demon Realm and killed everything I saw." I answered, starting to feel sheepish.

"Which allowed you to uncover a decade old plot to learn your father's magical secrets and re-open the portal?" Baba rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Then you proceeded to befriend two locals, reunite with your father, all before destroying what amounts to a demon lord?" Baba finished.

"A Dreadfiend, I believe his title was." I corrected.

"Right, your 'gamer' nonsense." She closed her eyes, now pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing theatrically. "I don't get paid enough for this."

"You don't get paid at all." I quipped.

"I already regret my choice in taking you on as a student." Baba sighed again, her gaze softening as she looked up. "How is he?"

I didn't need to ask who 'he' was.

"He's taking things well." I said carefully.

"'Taking things well,' he says." Baba replied, rolling her eyes. "You might be the man's son, but you don't know him as well as you think you do."

A flare of irritation went through me. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"The man has gone through over a decade of torture and misery in a realm entirely inhospitable to him, only to appear to be behaving normally after returning to this realm." Baba recounted. "Does this sound like a man who should be 'taking things well', as you put it?"

I looked away, unwilling to answer the question. The truth was that I didn't want to think about something like that. I was simply glad I had my father back.

What more could I ask for?

"I see you understand." The old crone floated around on her crystal ball. "He likely doesn't quite believe that this is all happening."

"But…" _Our reunion, our struggle, sitting with each other and watching the sunset after our daring escape._ "He _did_ realize it. There's no way he didn't."

"Perhaps, on some level he did." Baba acknowledged the point. "You will understand better when he comes to. Humans are resilient, but not as resilient as one is led to believe. Of course, it is possible that he found greater resolve in the throes of his misery."

I latched onto that. "Yes. I checked him over with my **[Insight].**"

"Oh?" Baba seemed intrigued. "And?"

"He's single minded." I explained. "All he cares about is reuniting our family."

The old crone absorbed my words.

"Perhaps not all is lost, then. His will may have overcome the harsh nature of his captivity, and while he may heal through a family reunion, I assure you that he will need more than that to fully recover." Baba explained calmly as she led the way to the outside fighting ring. "Trauma of this magnitude does not simply 'go away'."

Akkuman was already there, sitting by the water and gazing up at the stars.

"Thank you for your advice." I acknowledged the wisdom, before giving her a strange look, a sudden thought occuring. "Did you know this would happen? That I would find the Demon Realm and save my father?"

"Who knows?" Baba replied cryptically as she floated back into the main building, leaving me alone with the blue furred devil.

"She's called a _fortune-teller_ for a reason, kid." Akkuman said, his gaze still set on the dark canopy above.

_Son of a bitch._

I went to stand beside him and looked in the same direction, trying to banish thoughts of my father's future mental problems away.

"So, you just stand here all night and stare at the stars?" I asked curiously, watching the many pinpricks of light shine over the darkness.

"Yep." Akkuman said simply.

"What do you do in the day?" I continued.

"Whatever Baba asks, I suppose." He replied just as succinctly. I wondered if he simply didn't want to chat.

That was nonsense; he wouldn't have initiated the conversation, otherwise.

"You don't sleep?" I tried again.

"Rarely. Once every few weeks." Akkuman answered, giving me a quick glance. "We demons do not require as much sleep as humans."

"I don't really need to sleep, either." I revealed.

_That_ got his attention. "I was under the impression you were human. Are you not?"

"Oh, I am." I said. "I just have a strange power which changes how all the rules of the world work."

"...The crone did say something about a special ability you had." Akkuman said, eyes curious. "I was looking forward to putting you to the test."

"To the test?" I repeated, before realization came. "Oh."

He'd wanted to fight me.

He only glanced back towards the center of the arena, before turning back to the stars. I understood his intent.

"You're not, anymore?" I asked.

"No." Akkuman denied with a shake of his head. "What more proof of your competence do I need than you facing the denizens of my homeland and winning through sheer strength, cunning and determination? No, you've proven yourself to be a Warrior in your own right. There is no need to test you."

"I…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say. I stared up at the stars, instead.

"A Warrior, huh…"

I rather liked the sound of that.

**oooo**

Link to my book: ****amazon,com/dp/B07XRVXXPB** (Replace comma with period)  
OR **look up** "The Dreg of Bellmead" **on Amazon/Kindle.**  
**

Link to my discord: ******discord,gg/Pq5J8dX****** (Replace comma with period)


	25. Chapter 24

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**Description: Finding out there was a world of magic lurking right under his nose sounded like fun— until he made contact. Instead, Nevan has to fight for his survival in a world of monsters, blood sacrifice and death, as well as maintain his sanity when the voices of the souls he'd consumed begin to speak to him.**

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The rest of you: welcome back for another installment of **The Z Gamer**!

**oooo  
Chapter 24  
oooo**

**Age 749, Saturday, August 10 (1:43 AM), Baba's Palace**

"Please, no more…" I held my father tightly as he begged while in a state between wakefulness and sleep. "No more. I've told you everything. No more…"

Baba was right, and I wished she hadn't been.

"It's okay, dad." I said soothingly. "I'm here. I'm _here._"

But my words fell on deaf ears. I felt his grip on my forearms tighten as he struggled to get free.

"Please, dad." I shifted slightly and began to soothingly rub his back. "You're free. It's over, dad."

There was a long moment of silence. I watched a glint of consciousness slowly return to his pain-filled eyes. He saw me and instantly buried his face into my shoulder, clinging to me as if this was the last time he'd see me.

"I did my best, Ten." Ren babbled uncontrollably. "I tried to stay strong for you. I tried. You don't know what they can do. I tried…"

"I know." I said soothingly, feeling his tears against my shoulder. I blinked away my own tears and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. "It's okay. It's okay, dad."

_Please don't cry, dad._ I wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come out anymore. I held him until he calmed down and slowly— oh-so-slowly— fell back to sleep.

"This is all I can do." I mouthed, feeling my heart break at my own powerlessness. I set him back down and made sure he was well covered.

With one last stare, I turned and exited the room, jumping down to the base of the palace.

Baba was already there, looking older than I'd ever seen her. We exchanged a look, both knowing what the other was thinking in that moment.

There was no need for words.

With a gesture, she led me out of the palace, into the fighting ring. The sound of the water rushing along the ring's border drowned out my inner thoughts for a short while.

"I know you like being here." Baba floated by the water. I followed her and sat over the edge.

"He's had nightmares every night." I said quietly. "It's just as you said. I'm totally useless. I can't do a single thing to help."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." The old crone countered. "You are there for him."

"What good's _that_?" I snarled, before pausing to take a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"I just don't know how to help him." I felt a tremor run through me.

"It is a tragic thing." She said quietly, eyeing me with pity. "Watching your own father break down in tears."

I looked away, my face hot with shame and anger. I didn't want her pity!

I stared at my hand, feeling the power roiling underneath, waiting to be accessed and unleashed. "Even with all of my strength, I can't solve this problem."

"Maybe it doesn't need to be solved by you." Baba offered quietly. "That is the truth of life."

I absorbed her words as she continued to share her wisdom. "Sometimes, you can't fix everything."

_She's right_. I realized.

I took a deep breath and got to my feet, my mind full with purpose.

"I may not be able to fix everything." I said, raising my open palm and generating a **[Ki Ball]** on instinct.

**-300 Ki!**

The ball filled my surroundings with light. I frowned as I injected all of my power into it, making it grow to about the size of a house.

**-36,550 Ki!**

"Ten…" Baba said unsurely. "What are you doing?"

I turned to look at the old crone. "I'm not really sure. If 300 of my Ki can do 1050 damage, then..."

I ran the numbers through my head.

"Around 130,000 damage full power… If I boost that by my 25% all damage passives, then around 160,000 damage.."

"Does that mean anything to me?" Baba said wryly, still slightly tense while near so much power. "I haven't felt anything of this magnitude since King Piccolo."

I reabsorbed the energy, interested in what she had to say.

**+36,850 Ki!**

"I've only read about him." I replied. "How strong is he? I know I'm only slightly weaker than Master Roshi at his maximum."

"A form the old fart uses rarely, as it greatly strains his body." She said. "But the Demon King Piccolo is stronger than even that."

Considering Genus' battle power had been 312, I had no doubt that Demon King Piccolo would have been in that same range, were he still among the living.

"Still, you have exceeded all expectations, child." Baba shared with me. "At your age, Roshi did not reach even a fraction of your ability, and you haven't even had the chance to simply train for an extended period of time."

"Is that what I should do, then? Train?" I felt so lost.

"Perhaps not now. It is time to rest, after all." Baba argued.

"I don't need to sleep." I countered with.

"That may well be the case, but consider the long term mental effects of lack of sleep and constant obsession." Baba glared. "I'm assuming you've read my assigned books on the matter."

I stopped whatever reply came to mind. "I have."

A moment later, I stared down at the water shimmering under the moonlight.

"Even if your body shows no ill effects from lack of sleep, that sort of obsession will lead to burnout." She lectured.

"But, the universe—"

"—can wait a few weeks." Baba interrupted. "You've done more than most have in centuries, already. Don't lose yourself in your training, Ten. You'll forget why you're doing it in the first place."

And, with that, she floated back inside, leaving me alone with my slowly calming thoughts.

**oooo**

**Age 749, Tuesday, August 13, Baba's Palace**

"_One_ pinch of powdered root of nightleaf…" Baba handed a small bag to Ren, who received it gratefully. "_Just_ a pinch, you understand?"

She turned to me before he could reply. "Don't let him take any more. If I know my old pupil, he'll try to take liberties with his medicines."

I snorted as Ren grumbled good naturedly. Dyran stood by us silently.

His sister, Aira, was leaning on the crutches kindly provided to her by Baba.

Beside her stood Akkuman, looking bored out of his mind.

"I'll make sure he takes the correct dosage before he sleeps." I nodded as Dyran began to fiddle with his shirt, muttering about the strangeness of mortal clothing.

"Thank you, Baba." Ren gave the old woman a deep bow. "For helping us recover, for reaching Ten the mystic arts. For everything, really."

She scoffed, turning away to hide a sniff. "Just go, already. I want to get back to making money and not wasting time on you. Ten, you've earned yourself a break, so I'd better not see you in a while, either."

I smiled. "A few months sound good?"

"No. You may as well train with my little brother as you initially planned. I'll inform him of the change." She dismissed, slowly floating back into her palace. "Ren can teach you the rest of the basics as well as I could. Come visit when you're done."

"I will!" I called out to her as she disappeared from view.

Akkuman merely gave us a nod, before also leaving.

"I owe you an ass kicking, runt." Aira grinned, looking intimidating despite the crutches. "So I had better not hear anything about you dying prematurely."

"I'll try not to disappoint." I replied dryly. She eyed me for a moment before grinning savagely and making her way back inside.

"Your sister is frightening." I admitted quietly after the three of us were alone.

"Small, yet fierce!" Dyran looked proud.

Ren snorted, tugging at the backpack over his shoulder. "How about we get this show on the road?"

"Yes." I agreed, turning towards the road in question and pulling up a certain quest. "Let's go home."

**oooo**

**Quest updated!**

**Reunion**

**After his long, grueling and torturous years in the Demon Realm, your father, Ren, has the chance to make his previously discarded dream come true: to reunite with his loving wife and make the family whole once again.**

**You are ready to leave Baba's palace and embark on the journey home.**

**oooo**

**Age 749, Wednesday, August 28, (7:00 PM) South City Port.**

With Ren's help, we'd made some amazing time on the way back.

His extensive knowledge of the sea currents and sailing in general was a boon in this case.

So was the fact that Dyran and I amused ourselves with rowing to give the boat even more speed.

Dyran, I could tell, was having the time of his life on Earth. When he'd first laid his eyes on the ocean, I knew he'd fallen in love.

"I'm still surprised we made it back this quickly." I noted as I pocketed the ship's capsule. My dad had refused to hold it, stating that it was mine now. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I wasn't going to push the matter.

The nights were mercifully better than those first few, at least. Either the nightleaf powder was doing the trick, or the knowledge that he was about to see his wife lifted his spirits.

Perhaps even the sight of the old boat helped him somewhat.

"Such intriguing structures." Dyran directed his gaze at the city, bathed in the oranges and reds of the sunset.

"Yes." Ren agreed, closing his eyes and taking in the smell. "It reminds me of the first time I set out to sea with a companion of mine."

"Old Peelo, you mean?" I smiled at the older man's surprise.

"How do you know.." he trailed off for a moment, before nodding to himself. "That's right; he _built_ the old boat, didn't he?"

"Yeah." I nodded as we made our way into town. I would have called a taxi, but Dyran was too tall for that sort of thing.

I checked my **[Sailing] **skill's progress as we walked for a bit, ignoring the gawking passersby.

**oooo**

**Sailing (Lv 51- 74%/Passive): Many men and women have looked towards the sea in wonder and astonishment, but very few were actually brave enough to have crossed it on a boat. You, having braved the storm and all its beauty and horror, know just how dangerous the sea can really be. 55% Increase in boat speed. 35% Increase in boat turning speed.**

**oooo**

"Shall we?" I heard my father's nervous voice call out. Dismissing the window, I smiled toward the man.

"She's probably already home." I led the way, the two following close by. "Her Wednesdays are usually the grueling ones, so she'll be exhausted, I think."

"Maybe…" Ren said unsurely. "Do you think she'll want me back?"

I slowed so that we were walking side by side, Dyran trailing behind us, perpetually distracted by the people, cars, smells and various shops in town.

"I don't doubt that at all, dad." I said fiercely, remembering the long nights trying to comfort her after the 'accident'. "Now, let's go. It'll take a bit over 20 minutes to get out of the city proper—"

"—And another 20 to get to our home." Ren finished, before blinking. "Assuming you weren't forced to move..?"

"Nope, still the same house." I said.

And so, the buildings gradually turned smaller and smaller as we reached the edge of the city and entered the suburbs.

"How fascinating!" Dyran stated as he stopped by one of the houses and poked at the grassy lawn. "You have your stone cities, but you still allow the green to grow from within, despite the fact that your wilds are already quite rich with green?"

I blinked, a little thrown off. "Yes. We try to keep nature alive as much as we can." I then pointed to a nearby tree sapling. "That tree, for example: it was planted very recently. It will grow to be the size of the bigger ones, with time."

"Very interesting." Dyran stood back up, dusting himself off and fiddling with his clothes again. "Must I wear this?"

I snorted. "There's a time and place for full battle regalia, Dyran. Now is not it."

"Battle can come at any time." Dyran said automatically.

"We've been out in the wilderness for the past few weeks." I grinned. "The worst 'battle' we've seen was when those Allosauruses thought they could have us for lunch."

At this, Dyran grinned toothily and laughed, scaring a nearby neighbor's pooch as we resumed our previous course. "Mighty creatures, they were. They fought well, and that ended up improving the taste!"

I rolled my eyes at that. The tall demon was turning out to be quite the gourmet.

More time passed, and we found ourselves in sight of my home.

"So, how do you want to do this?" I asked my dad as we stood around the corner.

"I was hoping you could ease her into it, son." Ren said sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.

"Ease her into it?" I repeated incredulously. "Hey, mom. It turns out that dad was in another dimension for years!"

Ren winced and snorted at the same time. I blinked; what a strange reaction.

I moved ahead with a sigh. "I'll, ah... 'Ease her into it', then."

"Thank you, Ten." Ren seemed even more nervous now.

"I'm hungry." Was the last thing I heard— from Dyran— before I passed by a familiar looking car, finally getting to the door.

_Where have I seen that car before?_ I thought before shaking my mind of such questions. There were more important things.

"This is it." I muttered and gave it a knock.

No answer.

I gave it another.

Still, nothing. I was about to call it quits and unlock it myself when the sound of wood creaking hit my ears. Jean was coming down the stairs.

The door opened, revealing another person instead.

"Ten!" I was instantly bowled over by a tackle hug. We both fell into the grass, tumbling until I was on top of her.

"Hey, Chichi." I felt myself smile as I got to my feet, pulling her up with me.

**Princess of Fry Pan Mountain  
Chichi - Lv 24**

"What are you doing here?" I asked in confusion, blinking at her increase in level. It looked like she'd been training pretty hard since I left the mountain.

"Ah, your mother invited us over for the week!" Chichi smiled nervously. "How could we say no?"

"Oh." I nodded in understanding, before her words registered. "Wait, us?"

Before Chichi could answer, her father, the Mighty Ox-King himself, stepped out of the door.

"If it isn't Ten!" The older man gave me his usual bone crushing hug, though it seemed much weaker than I was expecting.

"Ho..?" He seemed a mix of intrigued and confused at my lack of pain. "You've gotten much stronger if you can withstand my patented Ox Crusher Hug!"

_Did he just make that up?_ I stifled an eye roll. The old man enjoyed his strength contests, all right.

"Yes. I'm nothing like I used to be." I confirmed, staring down at my hands for a second.

"I can tell." Chichi was staring at me with an unreadable look. "You've changed."

I felt a little odd about the way she said it, like I wasn't sure if she thought the change was good or not.

"Things happened." I nodded, segueing back into the topic. "Is my mother here? There is something important I need to show her."

"What's so important that you come back without a word?" My mom's voice came faintly from the inside as the sound of wood creaking hit my ears; she was coming down the stairs.

"Mom." I nodded seriously at her as she came out of the front door, looking a little tired but otherwise all right.

**Loving Mom**

**Jean - Lv 8**

She gave me a hug for a few seconds, before looking me over. "What's wrong, Ten? You look… too serious."

"Mom." I said as she brushed her hand through my hair, cutting off whatever I was about to say.

"Come on, whatever you need to say, you can say it inside!" She tried to usher me in, but I didn't budge.

"No, mom." I said and tried to get the conversation back on track before she could derail it. "There's someone here to see you."

That gave her pause.

"Who?" She finally asked, looking nervous.

"Just.. try not to freak out, okay mom?" I asked, knowing that she was going to freak out, no matter what.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**For realizing there's no way your mother will remain calm after seeing the love of her life returned safely, you receive +1 to WIS!**

**oooo**

_Not the time, game!_ I felt like ripping my hair out.

"Who is it?" She raised her voice, her annoyance overpowering her nervousness for a moment.

"It's—" I started but was interrupted by my dad, who was approaching, Dyran at his side.

"—Me." Ren said, reaching us and giving his wife a hesitant look. I saw his hands shake for a few moments before he visibly steeled himself for the confrontation.

"I… Ten…" Mom turned to me, a look of astonishment on her face. "What is this?"

"It's really me, Jean." Ren took a step forward and mom took a step back, eyes wide in a mix of surprise and fear.

_This isn't going well._

"You can't be here. You just can't!" Jean cried out, trembling as she lost her balance and fell to her knees.

Dad and I were by her side in an instant, but she crawled away from Ren as if touching him would burn her!

"They told me you were _dead_!" Jean started to babble as I sat by her. She gripped my arm, her nails doing their best to dig through my skin to no avail. "Where _were_ you?"

He didn't answer. Her face contorted painfully at the silence.

"Were you just gallivanting around the world with your _friends_ this whole time?" She started to get angry, directing a glare at Dyran, who was too busy staring at our home to care about the unfolding drama.

"No, mom." I said quickly before she got the wrong idea. "That's not it at all."

She looked at me for a long moment, and then at my father, as if seeing him for the first time.

"Is-is it really you? How?" Jean dared to ask.

Ren only nodded in response. A second later, I felt myself being dragged with her as part of a group hug.

**oooo**

**Quest Complete!**

**Reunion**

**After his long, grueling and torturous years in the Demon Realm, your father, Ren, has the chance to make his previously discarded dream come true: to reunite with his loving wife and make the family whole once again.**

**You are left Baba's palace and embarked on the journey home. You braved the wilds of both earth and sea for weeks just to make it back as quickly as you could, and now you are all reunited!**

**oooo**

I felt the tears fall, just as they had the day we escaped from the Demon realm.

Dad had not believed it then, but maybe he believed it now, with both mom and I here.

"This is real." I heard him mutter.

"Yes." I confirmed, swallowing thickly. "Welcome home, dad."

He tried to say something to that, but Jean pressed her lips onto his, muffling whatever response he had.

I wisely backed away from the two, joining the others.

"We should, ah..." Ox-King grinned at the two kissing like it was their first time. "Give them some space, don't you think?"

I swallowed again, feeling the lump in my throat lessen with the hilarity of the situation. Chichi was blushing at the sight— probably not hard to figure out why.

"There's a nice restaurant nearby, BBQ style." I suggested loudly, seeing my parents nod, absent-minded as they both entered the house, slamming the door on us.

"That went better than expected." Dyran grinned at me.

I didn't reply, instead turning to Chichi and extending my hand with a hesitant smile. She stared at it for a second before taking it with a smile.

**Flash!**

We turned to see Ox-King, holding one of those old cameras.

"Dad!" Chichi huffed in annoyance.

"It was a perfect shot!" He said. "You two are so cute. Maybe you should go on a date to the BBQ place, just the two of you. We will go elsewhere."

"I would like to taste this BBQ." Dyran protested, not catching on.

It seemed, however, that Ox-King was having none of it.

"Don't you worry, son." Ox-King said, patting the tall demon hard on the back as he ushered him forward. "I'll take you to a nearby place I know— an all you can eat buffet, how about that?"

"All you can eat..?" Was the last thing I heard before they turned a corner. "My name's Dyran."

Chichi tugged at my hand. "Ready?"

I nodded, trying to keep up with the chaos my life had become in the last ten minutes.

**oooo**

**Later that evening…**

Chichi managed to last half an hour before she exploded with questions.

And so, I told her everything.

My trip to the Demon realm, my magic studies, my Gamer powers, my quest to stop the destruction of the universe, the Dragonball in my pocket— I left nothing out.

"Wow." Chichi leaned back in her chair as she took a break from the food, her eyes both understanding and calculating. "That explains a few things, like why you never seemed to bleed, or get bothered by anything, really."

I nodded.

"You can tell how strong I am just by looking at me?" She seemed curious.

Again, I nodded.

"Go ahead, then."

"You sure?"

"Oh, yes." Chichi seemed confident. "I've been training very hard, you know."

Without replying, I invoked **[Insight]**, linking my energy with hers.

**oooo**

**Princess of Fry Pan Mountain  
Chichi - Lv 24  
Race - Human  
Age - 14**

**HP: 15,000  
Ki: 19,000**

**Rep: 7,000/10,000 Adored**

**Description: The Princess of Fry Pan Mountain, Chichi is a kind girl who believes she found a man worthy of her charms and wit.**

**Nevertheless, be wary of angering her, as her wrath knows no equal.**

**She is currently showing off her strength to you, and wants to fight you.**

**Battle Power: 112**

**oooo**

She was now more powerful than her own father— and in such a short time!

If my stats had been un-enhanced by my passive skill boosts, we'd be around in equal in battle power!

It was humbling to see, in a way.

"Wow, Chichi, you've improved a lot!" I exclaimed.

"I plan on getting training from the Muten Roshi, too!" Chichi added.

"You'll catch up in no time, then." I smiled at her. It would be great to have a training partner.

**oooo**

**oooo**

**oooo**

I'm sure that those of you who have picked up on the dates I've been writing know what is coming soon.

For the rest, well...

This chapter ends at **Age 749, Wednesday, August 28.**

Son Goku first meets Bulma at **Age 749, September 1.**

I'm sure you can guess as to what's going to happen soon, but also _take note!_ I said I would be derailing from canon. There are more players on the board attempting to get the fabled Dragonballs.

See you on the next update! Thank you all again for supporting my original book!


	26. Chapter 25

**oooo  
Chapter 25  
oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 9, Ruins of Fry Pan Mountain, near Fry Pan Village**

"Hyahh!" Chichi's backfist smashed into my mouth, causing me to stumble backwards, my balance lost by her surprise hit.

**-1,500 HP!**

She'd put considerable strength behind that one.

I hastily assumed the Tiger stance and met her following charge. I snatched her overextended wrist and used the momentum to slam her body into the dirt, dazing her with the impact.

I dropped down with an elbow, intent on finishing the slightly less than friendly spar, but Chichi rolled away from me, sending a kick to my head as she did so.

My forearm blocked the kick fairly well, the pressure of it sending me across the dirt in a roll. With a burst of strength, I pushed off the ground and spun back into a standing position, already having re-assumed the Tiger stance.

With a deep breath, I stared Chichi down.

She was breathing hard, her once immaculate, blue cheongsam ripped and torn in places. Her arms and legs were riddled with bruises and various cuts from the scuffle we'd just taken part of.

"Up for more?" I asked curiously and with slight concern.

Chichi considered the question before dropping her stance and shaking her head. "I think we've done enough for one day, wouldn't you agree?"

I stared at our surroundings. "We've really done a number on the trees and ground, huh?"

She gave a distinctly unladylike snort at that before we started making our way back to her father's home.

I opened my notifications to read through the most recent ones.

**oooo**

**[Martial Arts] has leveled up!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 50 - 3%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 51%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

**Through combat against a vicious opponent, you've gained +2 to STR and +1 to VIT!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 27 (1,200/28,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: [5,800/10,562] ; 32,136  
MP: [9752] ; 34,624  
Ki: [9,500/14,403] ; 43,822**

**STR: [119] ; 233.24  
VIT: [116] ; 227.36  
AGI: [120] ; 235.20  
INT: [99] ; 143.55  
WIS: [97] ; 140.65**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: [118.3], 231**

**oooo**

I dismissed the windows and simply took the time to think. I'd progressed very slightly in terms of strength in the last month— mostly because my time had been spent escorting my dad back home, and then Chichi and her father to hers.

Baba's words came to mind once more: _"Don't lose yourself in your training, Ten. You'll forget why you're doing it in the first place."_

She had, of course, been correct. These past few weeks had taken a great weight off of my shoulders— one that I had only been aware of only in the distant and abstract sense.

I had no real way to describe it aside from something stressful and highly unpleasant.

Reuniting with my family, spending time with Chichi and even escorting her back to Fry Pan Mountain— rather, the Fry Pan Ruin, I supposed I should call it.

"Say, Chichi..." I started, having gotten an idea.

"Yes?" She glanced at me from the side, before fixing her eyes on the pleasant trees around us once more.

"Why didn't you rebuild your old palace? The one that Master Roshi blew up." I felt curious. "You seemed quite sad while sifting through the ruins if I remember right."

Chichi blinked, looked at me again and replied.

"After father's scolding at the hands of the master, he's decided to not rebuild, as it was a sign of his greed and willingness to kill others over trinkets." Chichi explained slowly. "That's why we still live in the house in the village."

And what a village it was, I thought as we reached the place in question.

Where there had been broken down, abandoned buildings, there were now cozy homes, stores, a well kept park and even a little school.

Looking at this place always amazed me. It was crazy how people could simply repopulate an area.

I watched as the villagers exchanged warm greetings with Chichi, engaging with her in conversation.

People of all races, ages and walks of life had come to this town in search of a bright future.

With the Diablo Desert and the lawless regions around us, this town was beginning to make a stand as a haven for those who cared for their fellow man.

I felt a smile crawling its way on my face. The Ox-King was truly turning a new leaf in his life.

"Who's he?" One of the villager's kids pointed at me.

"Kyo!" The old lady next to the boy— his grandmother, probably— whacked him on the back of the head. "Show some manners, boy! This is the princess' consort!"

"I'm the what?" Woah, that was a new one. Chichi's response to this was going red in the face.

"Begging your pardon, of course, but is that not the case, Mr. Ten?" The old lady insisted, a knowing look in her eyes. I could tell she was fighting down the amusement at Chichi's reaction.

"Chichi and I are dating." I confirmed, feeling a little embarrassed for some unknown reason— perhaps a vestigial feeling from my days as a consummate introvert. "It's a bit too early to call me a consort, though."

"Nonsense." The old lady replied. "I'm sure the two of you will get married in no time!"

_What._

This old lady...

"If you'll excuse us, Ten and I have to go see my father." Chichi seemed to have found her nerve, walking past the old lady and dragging me along with her.

I heard the children giggle in our wake. Apparently my eventual marriage with Chichi was a matter of course.

"Chichi?" I said carefully as we entered her father's home. "Do people really think we're getting married?"

_That _seemed to get her worked up.

"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice calm but her eyes fierce.

_Be very careful, Ten. _I thought.

"Well, we've only known each other for a few months…" I started. "It seems a little ridiculous, doesn't it?"

".." Chichi said nothing for a moment. "You don't think it can happen?"

"No, no! That's not what I mean!" I said in alarm. "I'm just saying that's not how we do things where I'm from."

"... The city folk tend to marry and divorce quickly." Was her reply.

Did I detect a note of disdain?

"Because they marry young." I felt annoyed at the dig to my culture. "I'm not getting married until I'm good and ready."

"Good!" Chichi replied, smiling.

"I don't care if the villagers keep trying to— what?" I stopped, thrown off by her smile.

"I said: 'good'." Chichi repeated.

"Wha-?"

"I'm not marrying until I'm well and ready, either." She said, taking a seat on the living room couch and patting the spot next to her.

I stared at her for a moment before sitting down as well.

"I used to be obsessed with finding someone to live the rest of my life with." Chichi admitted, looking down. "As the princess, my father expected me to find a husband— a strong husband to inherit his lands and treasure."

I took her hand in mine. "That's not why I—"

"I know." Chichi cut me off, squeezing my hand gently. "That's pretty obvious. I'm only trying to share my perspective with you. That's all."

"Okay." I understood. "So, what happened to make everything change?"

She didn't immediately react to the question.

"You did." She finally answered, giving me another fierce look. "You rarely reacted to my advances, you always seemed to be focused on something else. It.. hurt."

"Oh." I swallowed thickly. "That wasn't my intent."

"Yes, your.. **[Gamer's Mind], **you called it?"

I nodded.

"Eventually, I noticed that your appearance of disinterest didn't mesh with your actions." Chichi continued, feeling emboldened. "You were always willing to help me, to spend time with me."

I smiled, remembering our first few weeks together, training, sparring, having rich conversations on the topics of philosophy and books in general.

"I really do like being with you." I said truthfully, watching her cheeks turn a faint pink.

"Th-that's when I knew." She said, turning a little quiet. "I wanted to travel the world with you, Ten. I didn't dare ask you, before. I wasn't sure if you'd want me around."

I didn't reply, wondering how I missed all of this. Her character sheet had never said anything about this— but then again, I never made it a habit to scan those who were close to me like that.

"Ten…" Chichi said slowly, biting her lip nervously as she visibly tried to gather some courage. "When you leave, can I… can I come with you?"

I didn't answer immediately. Aside from escorting my father and Dyran home, as well as Chichi and her father here, I'd never had a solid companion.

"I— maybe I shouldn't have—"

I stopped whatever she was saying with a kiss to her lips, pulling her close. She fought against it for the barest of moments before finally kissing me back.

I felt her hand tightening around my own.

We eventually backed away from each other, out of breath.

"Does that answer your question?" I smiled.

The radiant smile she sent back was something I'd remember until the day I die.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**You've massively increased your Reputation with Chichi!**

**You are now Exalted!**

**oooo**

I waved the notification away, not needing a game to let me know that sort of information.

"I had planned on staying with my mom and dad for a while before heading to Roshi's." I admitted, watching her face fall at the information and speaking quickly after. "But I'm sure they'll understand if I go with you. I'll get them to visit us, instead!"

"That sounds… good, I think." Chichi nodded. "I don't want your parents to think badly of me."

I snorted. "Mom loves you."

"And your father?" Chichi asked. "We haven't had anything more than a passing conversation."

My good humor fell at that. The nightleaf powder had helped Dad with his nightmare filled, restless nights, but that only hid his troubles. It didn't solve them. Only he could do that.

"My dad has his own issues to deal with, right now." I said slowly. "But I know that he likes you."

That seemed to satisfy her.

"Good." Chichi replied. She opened her mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Chichi's face fell.

"I'll get it." She said glumly and left my embrace.

I watched her go, thinking about what to do next.

I pulled up my skill window, reading through the list and focusing on the skill I'd actually been trying to level up.

**oooo**

**Techie (Lv 11-88%/Passive): Your keen interest in technology will bring you far in life, as it is the future of your race. At the moment, your theoretical knowledge is extensive, though you only have moderate experience with the "hands-on" aspect of your education.**

**oooo**

Considering my boat kept getting damaged, I figured it'd be smart to level this skill up.

When I'd told Dad about it, he'd laughingly said I should build my own hovercraft, much like that company in West City— Capsule Corporation— did.

They were the ones who invented the Hoi-Poi capsule, as well as the many modes of transportation the capsules could hold.

It was almost unreal, how much power that company held over the earth.

I shook off these thoughts when Chichi came back, looking a little annoyed.

"What's the matter?" I asked, dismissing the window and standing up.

"There's a group in town, asking to speak with my father." Chichi replied, looking off to the side in annoyance. "Of all the times for him to not be here…"

I snorted and waved goodbye to her. "The burdens of leadership, eh? Have fun!"

"Just for that, you're coming with me." She pulled me off of the couch, just when I was starting to get comfortable.

"Come _on._" I tried shaking her hand off to no avail. "Can't we just ignore them?"

"No." She denied as we exited the building.

She finally let go of my arm, smiling at my put out look. "You're not going to let me deal with these people alone, are you?"

"I just might." I tried to glare at her, but there was no heat in it. I sighed. "Fine, let's just get this over with."

"Thank you, Ten."

"Don't mention it."

As we exited the house, I saw the same old lady who had been making insinuations about us earlier.

"Ah, Mr. Ten." She greeted once more, before turning to Chichi. "If you'll allow me to lead the way, princess..."

"By all means."

She led us through the rebuilt town, over to the square.

Months ago, that square had been filled with the bodies of the various criminals and thieves out to steal Ox-King's treasure.

Now, it was clean, with shrubberies and trees scattered about. At its center lay a large fountain.

Normally, children would have been milling around, but it was empty, save for the group the old lady had mentioned.

_Never trust a stranger._ I thought as I eyed this new group, comprised of a pig man in overalls, a wild haired young boy in an open blue gi, red wristbands, dark blue shoes, and a red pole on his back. The final one was a blue haired girl wearing… a bunny outfit?

Just who were they?

I glanced to my right. Chichi was as confused as I was, though she was already going through the motions of greeting her new visitors.

"Welcome to New Fry Pan!" Chichi smiled, eyeing the group curiously. "How can I help you?"

"You're not the Ox-King." The girl pointed out, moving ahead of the two.

**Genius  
Bulma - Lv 13**

Now _that_ was interesting. A genius, huh?

I wondered what the other two read as.

**Shapeshifting Pervert  
Oolong - Lv 10**

I wondered what it would take for someone to gain the title of pervert, before shaking the thought off and focusing on the shapeshifting aspect.

Baba had mentioned the existence of the skill. I wondered if it was something I could learn.

"I'm the King's daughter." Chichi replied curtly, a little frost seeping into her tone. "So any questions you may have, I'm sure I can answer them."

The two ladies glared at each other.

The blue haired one— Bulma— opened her mouth, but the boy in the gi interrupted her.

"I heard the old Ox-King is scary strong!" The boy pushed Bulma aside, pumping his arms in excitement and completely ignoring the annoying girl's mutters about being surrounded by morons. "Where is he?"

**Monkey Boy  
Goku - Lv 20**

Level 20? Not bad.

I invoked **[Insight] **on him as Chichi began to explain where her father was and why he was currently unavailable.

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 20**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 20,000  
Ki: 25,000 [Dormant]**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently bummed out that the Ox-King isn't here to fight.**

**Battle Power: 92**

**oooo**

_What the hell…_

Saiyan? _Son_ Goku— as in the Ox-King's old friend, Gohan? A quest for the Dragonballs?

There was so much to unpack, there.

It was then that I noticed the furry tail waving behind him.

Just what was a Saiyan?

**oooo**

**Quest Forcibly Initiated  
Monkey Business**

**Figure out what a Saiyan is.**

**Reward: ?  
Failure: Possible destruction of the universe.**

**oooo**

Of course. Leave it to the game to do something like that.

"Well, that's not what I'm here for." Bulma cut in. "My name's Bulma add I was wondering if you have a Dragonball…? It's a small orange crystal ball."

Chichi stiffened, giving me a quick glance.

I gestured for her to let me handle this one.

I invoked **[Insight] **on the blue haired girl, quickly reading through her description.

**oooo**

**Genius  
Bulma Briefs - Lv 13**

**Race - Human  
Age - 16**

**HP: 2,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Bulma is a high schooler on a quest: to gather up the Dragonballs and wish for the perfect boyfriend.**

**Having already gathered five of the requisite 7, she hopes to get the sixth one with no issue.**

**She is currently staring at you, wondering why you're staring at nothing.**

**Battle Power: 2**

**oooo**

I dismissed the window, shoving my right hand in my pocket, fingers curling around the 7-star Dragonball.

Gathering the Dragonballs hadn't been anywhere near my list of priorities.

Hmm… how to go about this?

"Is he stupid?" Bulma bluntly asked Chichi, who went red with anger.

I stifled my own anger, as well. I was going to play nice, but that comment sealed her fate.

I now realized who it was I was talking to. Not ten minutes prior to this, I had been thinking about the famous Capsule Corporation.

This was the president's daughter, Bulma Briefs, hailed by everyone to be a genius among geniuses. The teachers at South City had always used her as a shining example of the school system.

I supposed there was a hint of truth to that, if she figured out how Dragonballs work and gathered most of them already.

Bad luck for her that she felt the need to insult me.

Besides, a perfect boyfriend was a stupid wish compared to answering the question that has been plaguing my thoughts ever since I saw the first notification.

Who gave me these powers?

"Not stupid." I smiled, staring the girl down as I pulled out my Dragonball. "Just wondering why I should give you this."

"That's…" She looked excited for a second before realizing her blunder. "Um…"

I smirked, amused at her floundering.

"Well, what do you want for it?" She finally asked.

"1,000,000,000 Zeni." I said bluntly, grinning savagely at her discomfort.

"What!?" The pig-man, Oolong, having been quiet this whole time, cried out in shock. "You could buy an entire village with that kind of money!"

"Tough luck." I gave an uncaring shrug, placing the Dragonball in my pocket and into my inventory— a neat trick I'd learned in my off-time. "That's the only way you'll be getting this Dragonball off of me."

Bulma gave an angry frown, before turning to the wild boy, whispering furiously to him.

"I think she's trying to convince him to attack." I spoke slowly. "He's fairly strong."

"You think so?" Chichi replied.

"That he's strong or that she's convincing him to attack us?"

"Both." I smiled. "He's close to you in power."

"And you?" She asked.

"In my unenhanced state, he has a chance. If I apply my passives, however…"

"How about this?" Bulma interrupted our conversation gesturing at the hesitant fighter beside her. "If you can beat Son Goku here, then I'll give you all of my Dragonballs! How about that?"

I suppressed a shit-eating grin. She fell for it.

"Deal." I nodded towards the edge of the small town before turning and heading that way. "Not here. This city has been rebuilding and I don't want you to cause unnecessary damage."

The reason for this was twofold: one, I already stated, and the other was to get myself to maximum health and ki— I was still recovering from the harsh spar with Chichi.

"As if you'll last longer than a second." I heard Bulma mutter.

Ten minutes later, and we were in the slowly growing forest, near the spot in which I had the spar with Chichi.

"Let's be clear, here." I said as I faced off against Goku. "You win, and you get my Dragonball. If I win, I get all of yours. Deal?"

He eyed me for a moment, before looking down at the small sack tied to his waist in trepidation. From the looks of it, it held one of the Dragonballs.

"I'll never let you have grandpa's memento!" The boy declared with a glare, now fired up.

I suppressed a wince, before steeling myself. Memento or not, the fate of the universe could hinge on the answer to my question.

Worst case, I could simply find his Dragonball later.

Mind made up, I squared up against this new foe— though that only lasted for a split second, as I had to move back slightly to dodge the boy's punch.

_Headstrong and eager._ I thought as I grabbed his arm and used his momentum to slam him to the ground— only for his tail to snake its way around my leg and giving it a hard yank, making me fall flat on my face due to my own momentum.

**-800 HP!**

With a grunt, I swung my right elbow behind me, driving it into the shifty boy who was knocked off with a loud cry.

I spun quickly, untangling my leg from his tail and taking a foot to the face for my trouble.

**-700 HP!**

With a grunt, I pushed Goku away, regained my footing and assumed stance.

"You're pretty strong!" Goku gave me a toothy grin, looking very surprised at the turn of events.

"Thanks." I smiled back. "You are, too."

This time, I rushed in, sending a few punches which he blocked with fairly decent technique.

His movements were so strangely familiar to Chichi's and Ox-King's, but there was an element of wildness in it that I couldn't quite place.

I broke past his guard, driving my fist into his cheek with a loud, satisfying smack. Goku staggered with a cry, but I gave him no quarter, the second punch laying the tenacious boy out flat.

So, I was surprised when, instead of falling unconscious, the boy got up, albeit with some difficulty, and drew the red staff on his back.

"Extend!" It glowed red for a moment. It was the only warning I had before the polestaff drove itself into me.

**-1,500 HP!**

I managed to dodge it slightly, taking the hit to the shoulder and using the momentum to spin out of the staff's way.

I took hold of the tool and pried it out of his grasp with a quick jerk.

Instantly, the weapon shrunk back to its original size.

"Huh, that's neat." I commented as the boy rushed me in anger.

"That's mine!" He leapt, intending on kicking me on the way down.

I smiled and held the weapon at my side, aiming my hand at him. "**Ha!**"

**-300 Ki!**

The ball of power flew true, exploding against the boy and causing him to spin uncontrollably on his way down.

"No!" I heard Bulma scream in a mix of fear and anger as Goku smashed into the ground with a sickening thump.

He didn't get up.

"Shit." I realized. "I might have overdone it."

Had I killed the boy?

But then, he slowly struggled to his feet, staring at me with an intensity I hadn't been expecting.

"**Ha!" **The boy roared, extending his hand and launching a gigantic ball of ki of his own at me.

_Holy shit, that is strong._

Charging my arms with Ki, I braced myself as his power exploded against mine, sending me skidding back.

**-7,000 Ki!**

**-3,500 HP!**

When the dust settled, Goku looked both shocked and excited at my having taken that head on.

And then, he finally dropped to the ground, unconscious.

I linked my power to his and invoked **[Insight], **just to make sure he hadn't received too much damage in our fight.

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 20**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 7,400/20,000 [Unconscious]  
Ki: 13,000/25,000**

**Rep: 9,900/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently unconscious after a fight with an enemy he wasn't sure he could win against.**

**Battle Power: 20**

**oooo**

He unlocked his Ki in a matter of _seconds_. Just who _was_ this kid?

"Holy crap." I breathed as I approached the unconscious boy, ignoring all of the notifications I got in favor of making sure he was okay.

"You stay away from him!" Bulma snarled, pulling a gun out and pointing it at me. "Stay away!"

"Calm down." I smiled, raising a hand in mock surrender. "I'm taking him inside so he can rest up. That was a hard fight."

Her glare turned a little vicious. "If you hurt him…"

"I've already hurt him. Shoot me if you have to. _I'm_ going to make sure he's all right." I gestured at the unconscious boy, lifting him in my arms and leading the way back, the rest following me quietly.

She did not shoot.

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	27. Chapter 26

**oooo  
Chapter 26  
oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 9, Fry Pan Village**

I placed the strange monkey boy on the couch, his trusty red stick in his hands, and stared at him for a long moment before invoking my **[Insight].**

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 20**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 7,800/20,000 [Unconscious]  
Ki: 14,300/25,000**

**Rep: 9,900/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently recovering.**

**Battle Power: 25**

**oooo**

It'd only been a few minutes and he was already beginning to heal up, if a little slowly.

"Just who is this kid…" I muttered. "Saiyan…?"

I rolled the word around in my mouth, not even sure what it was supposed to mean. Was there another race on the planet no one knew about?

Or, was this a new mutation in the race?

That wouldn't make sense, as it would still list him as a kind of Human such as the dog-type, bear-type, wolf-type and other existing types.

Yet, he is not a monkey-type Human, but a Saiyan.

Not to even mention the quest… Just how would knowing what a Saiyan was help prevent the destruction of the universe?

The pile of questions kept getting bigger. I shook my head. It didn't matter.

The Dragon would answer them all if I worded my wish correctly.

Speaking of which… I took the boy's small pouch, upending it and feeling the Dragonball slap lightly against my palm.

I shielded my eyes lightly, the reflection a bit too bright. Moving away from the light, I stared at the ball.

"Four stars on this one." I mused, invoking **[Insight]**.

**oooo**

**The 4-Star Dragonball**

**Item: Wish-granting Ball**

**Class: Mythical**

**Description: Referred to as the 4-Star Dragonball due to the number of stars engraved within it, this Dragonball is the fourth part in a set of seven, used to summon Shenron the Eternal Dragon, so that it can grant the summoner one wish.**

**It is Son Goku's memento of his deceased grandfather, one of the few things he has to remember him by.**

**oooo**

I frowned at the description, feeling dirty for even taking this from the boy. I shook my head. I would get it back for him when the balls reactivated within a year's time after use.

With a sigh, I placed the ball in my **[Inventory]**, next to the **[7-Star Dragonball]** before exiting the house and addressing the irate blue-haired girl.

"What did you do with him?" She demanded immediately. "I swear, if you've taken the Dragonball— or hurt him…"

"He's asleep on the couch." I waved at the house behind me. "You're free to go check on him."

She made to move ahead of me, but I held my hand forward, palm facing up.

"We had a bet."

"What?" Bulma almost snarled.

"The Dragonballs, please." I smiled. "That was the deal, right? I won, so I get all the ones in your possession."

She tried to get past me, but I gave her a light shove. "The Dragonballs, first."

"What do you even want with them?" Bulma argued. "What're their worth to you?"

"I think we both know what the Dragonballs are used for." I blinked, realizing something. "You didn't tell him, huh?"

"Tell who, what?" Bulma replied.

"The monkey boy." I replied, pointing behind me at the house. "You didn't tell him the balls disperse after a wish is made, did you?"

"You— I— How do you—" She stopped talking, shocked eyes quickly changing to calculating, and re-evaluated me. "You've figured the secret out on your own."

"It didn't take very long." _Weeks of concerted effort in that stupid library at Central City, actually._ "I hadn't planned on looking for the balls, just yet. This is a pleasant surprise, I'll admit."

Bulma didn't answer. I could tell she was trying to figure a way out of this situation.

"I'll go get the balls." She looked down, before turning to leave.

That easy?

"Good." I blinked, turning to Chichi, who was off to the side, looking irritated with a downed Oolong next to her. "What happened there?"

"He couldn't keep his hands to himself!" She snarled, kicking the pig once more for good measure.

"I see." I approached Oolong and looked down at him with an intense stare. "If you touch her again, I'll break your hands and make you lift weights with them. Got it?"

The pig-man scurried away, bowing deeply and nodding as furiously as he could manage.

I stared back in the direction Bulma left, idly wondering if she was simply going to pull a runner.

"Maybe I should've followed her." I mused with a hint of concern.

But it seems that my worry was misplaced, as Bulma came back a few minutes later, a bag in her hands.

She held the bag towards me, her entire demeanor shifting to one of neutrality. "As promised: the Dragonballs."

With a suspicious look, I grabbed the bag, opened it and examined its contents.

There were only two of the Dragonballs in it. I suppressed the rising annoyance and tried to think on how to deal with this girl.

Accept her lie and steal her things in the night? Force her to give what is owed? Let her go and flounder while she gathered the rest of the Dragonballs?

"And the rest of them?" To be honest, I had neither the patience nor the restraint for anything but receiving what I was owed, here and now.

"R-rest? What rest?" She stammered for but a moment.

"Yes…" I did not feel like playing this cat and mouse game. "The other two you have hidden somewhere."

"I don't have anything hidden—"

I took an aggressive step forward. "Then you won't mind if I go search through your things, will you?"

"Yes, I do mind, actually!" Bulma stood her ground, eyes furious. "If you do, I'll make you regret it!"

I felt my anger rise to the surface. This lying—

"We had an agreement." I snarled.

"And I fulfilled it!" Bulma stubbornly insisted, turning to leave. "Now, if you'll excuse me..."

I grabbed her arm. "No. This conversation isn't over."

"Let go of me!" She screamed, trying to take her arm out of the lock to no avail.

"Not until I get what I'm owed." I glared back at her defiant look.

"I already gave the Dragonballs to you!"

"Don't lie to me." I denied. "You had four and Goku had one. You're hiding two somewhere, and you _will_ tell me where they—"

Someone grabbed my wrist. "Let her go."

I turned to see a tall, long-haired man glaring down at me. I let go of Bulma and tried to shake his hand off.

He held on stubbornly.

"Yamcha!" Bulma cried in shock and delight.

_Hm, decent grip._ I thought as I invoked **[Insight]**.

**oooo**

**Desert Bandit  
Yamcha - Lv 18**

**Race - Human  
Age - 16**

**HP: 12,000  
Ki: 7,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Disliked**

**Description: Hailing from a village just north of the Diablo Desert, Yamcha dropped out of school and made his home in the desert instead, focusing his all on martial arts.**

**His goal is to live an easy life with no financial worry, which is why he ambushes travelers and divests them of their money and valuables.**

**He is currently rescuing Bulma from your aggression, hoping to get closer to the girl.**

**Battle Power: 83**

**oooo**

"One thing after another…" I said as I pushed the anger down and released my self-imposed restraint, enabling all of my passives.

I glared at the fellow teenager and easily ripped my hand from his grasp, placing the bag in my **[Inventory] **in the same motion.

I opened my mouth to talk, but, honestly, I was done talking.

The only one in this bunch who hadn't tried to doublecross me was the monkey boy, Goku. The rest of them were pretty terrible.

One had just tried to grope my girlfriend, the blue haired bitch was scamming me, and this guy robbed people… In the _desert _of all places.

The worst nightmare for some people, and in the top five for the rest: left stranded in a highly inhospitable environment with only the clothes on your back.

No food, no water, surrounded by predators and beaten down by the heat from the Sun...

It was enough to make me sick.

I wouldn't kill them, as I didn't want that on my conscience, but I was done playing nice.

I watched as Yamcha smirked and began to assume a stance, his legs spreading apart and his hands in a claw-like grip.

"I saw your fight with Goku, before." Yamcha said confidently as he rushed me. "I won't make the same mistakes!"

_As eager and headstrong as the monkey boy_. I thought as I jumped back to gain some distance and time. _Attacking first without properly analyzing my strength. Not his fault, I suppose, that I hadn't been using my true strength, or any of my tricks, really._

**-800 MP!**

With a wave, I cast **[Dazzle]** on him and watched the fool freak out at whatever hellscape his mind conjured up. He stopped his charge, instead punching and kicking at the air as if his life depended on it.

"What is he—" Bulma was confused for a moment before inferring that I likely had something to do with this. "What did you do to him!?"

"You'd like to know, huh?" I said without humor, sending a look towards my girlfriend. "You want to handle this one, or should I?"

"How strong is he?" Chichi asked as the man in question ran around, wildly attacking nearby trees.

"I'd say slightly weaker than the monkey boy." I shrugged.

Chichi rolled her eyes before rushing the distracted boy.

To his credit, he managed to fend off her first few punches and kicks, but my illusions got the better of him, allowing Chichi to land a kick into the back of his head, knocking him out cold. "I'd rather just fight you, Ten."

A quick check to his stat sheet showed that he'd suffered some damage, but nothing close to lethal.

"That takes care of that." I dusted my hands off and calmly turned to see a trembling Bulma, her gun out and pointed at me again— and, this time, I was sure she was going to shoot.

"Ten, watch out!" Chichi cried out in misplaced worry.

I stared at Bulma; she was certainly angry, but there was also plenty of fear, judging by her features.

**-45 MP!**

"**[Mana Shield]."** I activated the skill with a mutter and felt the energy course through me, greatly heightening my defensive power, the only sight of my having done anything being the blue glow emanating from my skin.

Bulma pulled the trigger, again and again, filling the air with the loud bangs of her gun.

**-500 MP!**

**-495 MP!**

**-300 MP!**

**-600 MP!**

**-350 MP!**

**-200 MP!**

**-500 MP!**

**-400 MP!**

When the sound died down, I finally spoke. "Are you done, then?"

Bulma tried to quickly reload, but Chichi was on her in a second, snatching the weapon from her hand and twisting her arm behind her back.

"Thank you, Chichi." I said, deactivating my **[Mana Shield] **with only a thought.

Bulma gave a mighty struggle against the much stronger woman's hold, giving a shrill scream. No one was coming to her aid, now.

No more tricks, and judging from the building despair on her face, she was finally realizing that.

Finally, with a defeated sigh, she stopped struggling. "Fine. Just take them."

Chichi kept the hold on the girl, taking us all the way back to Bulma's car, an M-class mobile home— from her dad's money, probably.

We entered the vehicle with her, blocking the way out as well as the driver's seat to ensure that she didn't have any stupid ideas.

I shifted my position a bit forward in case she pulled another gun out, ready to initiate **[Mana Shield]** at any time.

Her previous salvo of shots had made me use about… 4,000 MP, I estimated. With over twenty thousand left in reserve, I was sure I could endure whatever was hidden in this car.

Bulma looked around fitfully, her confused mutters becoming more and more worried by the second.

"Where are they?"

I resisted the urge to palm my face at such an obvious ploy.

"If you seriously think I'm going to fall for the oldest trick in the book…" I trailed off, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"No, I'm serious!" She turned and glared at me, stress and confusion plain on her face. "They're not here!"

I shook my head, wondering what it would take to make this annoyance cough up the Dragonballs.

"You have to believe me!" Tears were starting to appear in her eyes. "I don't know!"

"Ten…" Chichi seemed uncomfortable. "Maybe she isn't lying."

I sighed. "Only one way to find out."

I let my power out, linking it with hers and invoking **[Insight].**

**oooo**

**Genius  
Bulma Briefs - Lv 13**

**Race - Human  
Age - 16**

**HP: 2,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Greatly Disliked**

**Description: Bulma is a high schooler on a quest: to gather up the Dragonballs and wish for the perfect boyfriend.**

**She is currently freaking out, having no idea where her stashed Dragonballs are and wondering if the menacing blond is going to kill her.**

**Battle Power: 2**

**oooo**

"Okay."

"You have to believe— what?" Bulma was shocked at the seemingly sudden turn.

"I believe you." I continued, exiting the car and gesturing for the two ladies to come out with me.

"So, what now?" Chichi asked curiously.

"Someone must have stolen the balls." Bulma said, digging into her pocket and pulling a gadget out, fiddling with it and gaining a triumphant look.

She spun the contraption towards me, pointing at the four at the center. "These are the ones in our— _your_ possession."

Bulma looked a little upset at her own self-forced admission but I paid it no mind, more concerned with the fact she could still detect the Dragonballs within my **[Inventory]**. "And the others?"

"There's one that's stayed in the same spot since I built this radar." Bulma pointed at the dot in question. "And then there's this.."

She put her finger over the two dots which were moving away at great speed.

"If I had to guess, whoever took the balls is using a high speed jet engine." Bulma concluded with confidence. Hadn't she been on the verge of tears not minutes before?

Were the tears another one of her ploys? She reminded me of the worst of my old school's students.

This girl was so confusing. I pitied whichever fool man struck her fancy.

"We have to go after them." Bulma declared. "I won't let them have our Dragonballs, whoever they are!"

Beside me, Chichi mouthed "_our?_"

I made to answer, but a new quest popped into existence.

**oooo**

**Quest Created  
Get The Dragonballs!**

**Someone has stolen the precious wish-granting balls you've won fair and square from Bulma.**

**Will you give chase and retrieve them?**

**Reward: 50,000 XP, ?  
Failure Penalty: Beginning of the end for Earth**

**Accept/Deny**

**oooo**

"So much for having a quiet time." I muttered in great irritation as I pressed on Accept.

"What's the plan?" Chichi asked.

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I tried to think of a plan of attack.

"We go after them, of course." Bulma declared, gesturing at the mobile home car.

"How fast does this thing go?" I looked at it dubiously. "_Maybe_ 90 kph? Even that's being generous, considering there are no proper roads around here and it's mostly forest land..."

That seemed to stop whatever she was about to say, but Bulma recovered quickly enough. "What do you suggest, then?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of everything.

"They found you all the way out here." I started. "This means that—"

"They have their own radar." Both Bulma and Chichi concluded, glaring at each other immediately after.

"Enough." I felt annoyed. "They have a radar. If we give chase, they'll see us coming because of the Dragonballs…"

"Well, we can't just leave them here for anyone to take." Bulma argued.

"True." I nodded, conceding the point. "We won't. We have four, they have two, and that one spot has the last one."

"So, we go for the last one." Bulma concluded.

"No, then we'd be the final target." Chichi denied. "Do we really want to wait for whoever it was to come after us again?"

"You!" A juvenile voice called out, interrupting the conversation. We all turned to see an angry looking Goku rushing at me. "Give my grandpa back!"

I easily dodged his hooks, uppercuts and kicks, though… He was moving nearly as fast as Chichi now! Where was this speed in our previous fight?

"Goku, stop!" Bulma shouted, getting the boy's attention.

"But he took what's mine!" Goku stood his ground, teeth grinding together in obvious anger.

I linked my power together with his and invoked **[Insight].**

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 23**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 15,900/23,000  
Ki: 15,300/27,000**

**Rep: 9,000/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently angry at you for stealing his grandfather's memento, but also excited because you were able to easily fend off his attacks despite feeling much stronger.**

**Battle Power: 107**

**oooo**

His battle power was now almost as high Chichi's, and he'd done nothing but take a beating and a short nap!

Was this what Saiyans were capable of?

I shook my head; there was no time for any more questions. His power could come in handy. An idea formed in my mind.

I pulled the aforementioned Dragonball and threw it toward the boy, who caught it deftly.

"What?" Bulma seemed confused.

"Here's the plan." I pulled out the remaining three Dragonballs, putting them all in the bag I'd been given by Bulma earlier and handing it to Chichi.

"You guys and Chichi will go for the one Dragonball that hasn't moved for a while. Take the bandit if you want." I swiped Bulma's radar and pointed at it. "I'll give chase to whoever took the remaining two."

Chichi glared at me for excluding her from my chase plans.

Bulma snorted. "And, what will you do? Run after the jet?"

"Well, yes." Was my blunt answer. "I wouldn't be surprised if I could run around 300kph, if not more…"

"You… What?" Bulma was at a loss for words, while Chichi seemed a little down at the admission, understanding the implied gap between myself and her.

"Do you have the location marked on a map?" I asked Bulma. She gave a nod. "I updated all the locations in case the radar became faulty."

"Right." I nodded to them all, before moving to Chichi and giving her a hug.

"Ten…" She started but I cut her off gently.

"Be safe." I said. "Monkey boy's almost as powerful as you are now. I don't know how he did it, but he is."

"You're sure?" Chichi stiffened in my hold.

"Yes." Was my answer. "I trust you with the Dragonballs. They might try to overpower you, but even with the boy's increased power, you've got the edge with your body enhancement techniques. Still, you should be careful. You're going in unknown territory."

"I will." Chichi kissed me. "You, too, you big lunkhead."

I held her tighter and kissed her back. "That's hurtful, you know."

"You can take it."

"What are they doing?" I heard Goku mutter. "Are they trying to eat each other?"

"Idiot!" Bulma hissed. "This is what a boyfriend and girlfriend do!"

"Eat each other?"

"You're hopeless, Goku."

Chichi snorted mid-kiss and pulled away. "I don't think he'll be a threat."

"...You're probably right." I replied, giving her shoulders one final squeeze before pulling away, turning towards the direction the radar was pointing at.

"Stay safe, Ten." Was the last thing I heard before I rushed off, activating **[Sprint] **and **[Accelerate].**

**-1,500 MP!**

**-500 Ki!**

And so, the chase was on.

Hours upon hours of running it took. I ended up only using **[Sprint]** from time to time instead of spamming the use of both skills— purely to conserve Ki and MP.

Forest lands quickly gave way to desert— the Diablo Desert, I realized. The heat was horrid, almost unbearable. If I didn't have **[Gamer's Body]**, I likely wouldn't have been able to chase these thieves.

It was a very smart move on their part, going through the desert. Nothing living except for myself was able to match the speed of a jet engine for hours on end, without being affected by desert heat and the like.

I stopped for a moment to catch my bearings, pulling out the radar as I did so.

The four dots signifying my Dragonballs were slowly making their way to the sole one, while the two remaining dots had completely stopped from the looks of it.

"Finally." I muttered and took a seat on the sand, ignoring the heat from both it and the sun above me. "Whoever did this must have been highly prepared."

It made sense, what with the quest's failure penalty being the "beginning of the end for Earth."

"There's only one organization which could do this." I said to myself, having given the matter some thought on the way over. "Steal and run tactics, choice of desert biome to lead a chase through, these are all guerilla tactics."

Red Ribbon.

No other army would go over international borders, like this. The other armies would be on them like flies on fresh corpses.

It had to be Red Ribbon. Everyone else was afraid of them and their martial prowess.

**oooo**

**For calmly thinking through the situation, you've gained +1 to WIS!**

**oooo**

**Quest Updated  
Red Ribbon of Blood and Death**

**Figure out what the Red Ribbon Army is after, and if necessary, stop them.**

**You've uncovered the Red Ribbon's secret plot: to take the Dragonballs and make a wish!**

**Reward: ?, ?, ?  
Failure Penalty: Death, End of the Earth**

**oooo**

"So it _is _them." I gave a long-suffering sigh. "It was a good idea to give Chichi the Dragonballs, then."

I was walking into a den of monsters. Who knew what Red Ribbon was keeping in reserve to defend their precious wish-granting balls?

My mind went to Blue, a strong man with Telekinetic abilities gained from experimentation.

He'd been at the Central Games to test his burgeoning powers. Likely, he was enhanced even further after his loss to me.

The chances he'd be there were 100%. He was one of their generals and quite powerful, at that. That didn't even mention their terrifying machines of war.

I'd seen a few leaked videos online in the past few years— against low caliber bullets, I had an easy time of things. But, against machine guns, high yield explosives meant to take down large buildings, or flamethrowing monstrosities reaching 100 feet?

I pulled up my **[Status Sheet]** again.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 27 (1,200/28,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 10,562 ; 32,136  
MP: 9,816 ; 34,800  
Ki: 14,403 ; 43,822**

**STR: 119 ; [233.24]  
VIT: 116 ; [227.36]  
AGI: 120 ; [235.20]  
INT: 99 ; [143.55]  
WIS: 98 ; [142.10]**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 118.3, [231]**

**oooo**

STR and VIT, I wasn't too sure how they'd fare against a storm of bullets, but I knew for a fact that speed would win this encounter for me.

With a deep breath, I sank points into my stats.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**oooo**

**Due to your INT reaching 100, your [Magic Affinity] skill has evolved!**

**Magic Affinity II: 15% Increase to MP. 15% Increase to Magic Damage.**

**oooo**

**Due to your WIS reaching 100, your [Wise One] skill has evolved!**

**Wise One I: 10% Decrease to Magic Damage received. MP Regen is now at 1.25%/min!**

**oooo**

**For raising every stat to 100, your [All-Rounder] skill has evolved!**

**All-Rounder II: 15% Increase to HP/MP/Ki. 7.5% Increase to overall movement speed. 7.5% Increase to overall damage.**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 27 (1,200/28,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 11,042 ; [33,597]  
MP: 10,780 ; [37,047]  
Ki: 14,883 ; [45,283]**

**STR: 119 ; [233.24]  
VIT: 116 ; [227.36]  
AGI: 142 ; [278.32]  
INT: 100 ; [145.00]  
WIS: 100 ; [145.00]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 125.7, [246]**

**oooo**

I stared hard at my stats before resuming course.

Hopefully I didn't die from whatever Red Ribbon had in store.

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	28. Chapter 27

Yo~

How's everyone :) I come bearing a new chapter! A late Valentine's gift.

**oooo  
Chapter 27  
oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 9, Red Ribbon Outpost**

"So, this is where they took it." I sat in a bush in the woods just outside of the outpost, watching the soldiers mill about the place, completing their drills and duties.

Large robotic monstrosities were being installed and thoroughly examined over by teams of engineers.

Tanks were every which way.

There were a lot of soldiers, and a good amount of cameras considering the hasty construction of this site, which meant that sneaking undetected in would be a tall order.

A direct assault— I almost laughed at the thought.

_Am I truly going to bum rush an entire army— not just any army, but one viewed as the most powerful in the world?_

I shook my head. This was only a single outpost. Scanning the various soldiers showed that their Battle Powers mostly ranged from 20 to 35, with a few 40-80s thrown in— apparently successful test subjects to whatever genetic engineering the scientists on hand were capable of.

Disconcerting, knowing that General Blue had a similar level of power to these mere grunts, the last time we met.

How much had _he _been… improved since that day? With dedicated training, ample resources and further enhancements…

With luck, he wouldn't be here.

Just then, as if the gods were trying to spite me, I spotted the man in question.

"Fuck. So much for luck." I swore under my breath, ducking a little more in the bush, just in case.

General Blue looked even more imposing than he did during the Central Games. I dared not reach out and feel his power— his psychic ability could detect me, in some way.

Baba had touched on the topic for a time, also possessing similar mental prowess.

That's part of the reason why I'd developed **[Insight] **the way I did. I'd made some progress with the skill, but its risk of detection was not something I could chance.

In fact, I probably shouldn't have scanned any of the soldiers, in the first place.

That was a stupid move on my part. It was only luck that I hadn't come across another psychic.

Perhaps the ability could only be unlocked in a scant few, I mused as I watched Blue like a hawk.

The General made the rounds, watching his soldiers train, two other soldiers trailing behind him dutifully, one male, one female.

I didn't dare scan any of them, but at least I could see their names and levels over their heads.

**oooo**

**Red Ribbon General**

**Blue - Lv 37**

**Red Ribbon Colonel**

**Navy - Lv 26**

**Red Ribbon Captain**

**Turquoise - Lv 28**

**oooo**

The General had indeed improved, though I had no inkling as to how much.

His two underlings had levels that one couldn't simply scoff at, either.

This was probably going to be tough.

"The question is." I mouthed quietly, watching the soldiers go about their duties. "How do I sneak in?"

I circled the outpost, using my **[Sneak]** skill and the forest brush as much as I possibly could.

I reached a set of barracks, which seemed more sparsely populated, and not possessing much in the way of surveillance.

I stifled a snort, remembering a few soldiers' stories of their shenanigans in the barracks, back when I played online games.

Likely, this was something similar, and the surveillance would be considered minimal.

I smiled slightly, before psyching myself up and making my way in the barracks at a sedate pace, keeping my head down and entering the tent.

_They must have all hands on the ground if there's absolutely no one here._ I thought as I fumbled through the tent, trying to find any clothes.

I passed a tent flap, showcasing dozens of beds in the enclosed space. I did not envy the soldiers at all.

By the foot of each bed, lay a few piles of uniforms.

I checked through a few, finding one that seemed a little large for me- not that it mattered. Anything in my **[Inventory]** seemed to adjust itself to my size.

I equipped the uniform and checked myself over.

A light olive monstrosity, I would have stuck out like a sore thumb- if everyone here wasn't wearing it, that is.

I double checked the outfit's badges for the rank. It wouldn't do to mess this up by not responding to the rank of the soldier I was impersonating, would it?

"Private." I mouthed a few times as I left the sleeping area and made my way out of the barracks, fixing a stony look upon my face as I walked the outpost grounds, calmly and slowly moving between tents and buildings, avoiding cameras and ignoring all the piling notifications.

_My __**[Sneak] **__skill must be having a field day. _I realized with a small bit of amusement. I froze for a second, seeing General Blue ahead of me.

He hadn't noted my presence yet, so I turned to the left and found myself facing an angry looking officer.

"What're you doing here, private!?" The man was a grizzled old fellow, angry lines marring his weathered face. He was missing an eye and his front teeth.

"I, er..." I stalled, glancing at Blue for a moment, before fixing my gaze back on the increasingly annoyed officer.

"Another one of you fuckers got into the beer stash again, huh?" He had a savage grin on his face, but there was hardly any mirth to it. He swatted my leg and I fell to the floor in shock at his audacity.

He loomed over me, fury in his eyes. "Give me fifty."

"Fifty?" I said in confusion, before my eyes widened in realization.

"Make that a hundred!" The officer snarled as I began my push ups, pretending to have trouble with them.

That was when Blue made himself known. "Something the matter here, Drill Sergeant Drax?"

The Drill Sergeant in question quickly saluted his superior, judging by how his feet went into attention. "No, sir! Just teaching this private what happens when you decide to get into the officer's alcohol supply, sir!"

Blue snorted and continued to walk away, his two flunkies not saying a word as they followed him. "Carry on."

"With pleasure, General!" But Blue was already gone. Drax the Sergeant focused his attention back onto me. "How many are you at, Private!?"

"Twenty, sir!" I pretended to be having trouble.

"I'd have done twice as much by now!" He continued to grill me as I slowly completed the exercise, selling the illusion that I was just a helpless new recruit. "My grandma could do better than you!"

"Yes, sir!" I sped up slightly, feeling a little annoyed. "Sorry, sir!"

"That's better, you're putting your all into it! Not that it's much, soldier!" He threw encouragement with insults in. "Where the fuck did they recruit you from, some prissy town?"

This continued on for a while, until I finished my set.

"That was a pathetic performance, private." Drax said and made to shoo me. "Get out of my sight!"

_You don't have to tell me twice._ I thought, but nodded and shouted: "Sir, yes, sir!"

"Fuckin' smartass." I heard him mumble as I walked away from the guy, turning a corner with a sigh of relief. I continued to go deeper in the outpost, passing a few buildings before I was sure the Drill Sergeant wasn't following me.

I slid into a small nook between the buildings, one that didn't look like it had any surveillance, before pulling the Dragon Radar out and checking it over.

Pressing the button, I zoomed in and read the information. The signals were coming from the building to my right, if my distance calculations were correct.

Not that it helped overmuch. I stared at the five-storey building, specifically its walls.

Thick walls of steel, an entranceway that was set up in a manner which would allow the soldiers to entrench an enemy for hours if they reached this far.

This was a building meant to keep people out and withstand a bombing or five. I felt myself swallow in anticipation.

How did they set this thing up so fast? Of course, that's when I noticed something interesting.

Underneath the Red Ribbon Army logo, there were the remnants of another.

_It's been painted over, but this is definitely the Capsule Corporation symbol._ I thought. I'd have recognized it anywhere.

Were the Capsule Corporation, and by extension Bulma, in on this? Was it all a ploy from Bulma to send me on a wild goose chase while she had possession of the remaining Dragonballs?

Her character sheet had not shown a hint of this, but that power had been tricked before- though usually by super powerful hags, enhanced psychics and my own father.

My nerves began to settle. There was no way Bulma could have engineered all of this. Maybe Capsule Corp sold it to the Red Ribbon Army, at some point.

It was also possible the army had stolen the supplies- I wouldn't put it past them. Why would Capsule Corp design something like this, anyway?

In either case, it reflected badly on them. They either planned to supply the Red Ribbon with more arms and war machines, or they were planning on doing this for their enemies.

They'd mostly kept their online presence squeaky clean, but seeing this building spoke of another side of the famous company. A side where they are merchants of death and destruction.

I stifled a sigh, wondering, not for the first time, if I should re-enable **[Gamer's Mind]**. It would aid me in this particular mission, but part of me simply refused to even consider the possibility of using it- unless it was strictly necessary.

Determination welled up in me as I saw a group of soldiers marching towards the building. Now or never. I left my hiding place and made to join the group.

"Who're you?" One of them questioned.

I tried to smile, but it came out like a wince. "Name's Conrad. Private. Drill Sergeant Drax thought I wasn't working hard enough, so he's making me work another shift."

That seemed to break the group's tension, as a few chuckles ran through the crowd.

"He is a right old cunt, isn't he?" The soldiers jibed and joked as we entered the building.

"Tell me about it." I huffed in genuine annoyance. In the middle of a quest which could decide the fate of the Earth, the guy had me doing pushups and making fun of me.

I noticed the bathroom sign and made an immediate go for it.

"Where are you going?" The first soldier who'd spoken to me- the leader of their group, I realized- asked. "Assignment's this way."

I turned to him and rolled my eyes, acting the part of the incompetent employee. "Let's just say I'm taking a little bathroom break."

The leader frowned in displeasure, before shaking his head. "Your funeral, kid. I'm sure Drax will enjoy tanning your hide for this, later."

He turned to his men. "Let's go."

"Yes, sir!" They said and, as one, left through the elevator. I snorted as I shook my head, entering the bathroom and locking myself into one of the stalls.

_All things considered._ I thought as I pulled out the Dragon Radar again. _This is going pretty well._

The security must have been lax because this outpost had been built in a hurry. There was no other explanation for this.

Then again, anyone who wasn't me would probably have great trouble sneaking in here. I stifled a snort as I began to triangulate the Dragonballs' location with the radar; that headstrong kid, Goku— he'd probably rush into the hail of bullets without a second thought.

The dots were a few meters nearby— wait, no. They were probably on an upper floor. The ground floor would be a stupid place to put them, after all.

I sighed, placed the radar back in my **[Inventory]**, and exited the bathroom, making sure to wipe my hands against my clothes to maintain the illusion of my having used the bathroom.

I adjusted my cap as I avoided the cameras, making my way to the elevator. A man in a lab coat joined me as we waited for the telltale chime— _and there it is_. The elevator doors slid open, and we entered.

I made sure to let the other man go in first, following him through as I read the words above his head.

**Techie**

**Norman - Lv 5**

_Promising. I should follow him._

I pretended to look at the available list of floors before averting my gaze.

"You're heading to the labs, too?" The scientist gave me a dubious look.

I wanted to swallow nervously, but I gave a jerky nod instead. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"What would a private need with the tech department?" The man said suspiciously.

_Think fast, Ten!_

"Ah, well I'm pretty good at tech." I scratched the back of my head nervously. It wasn't technically a lie.

"'Pretty good, huh?' We'll see about that." The man's eyes lit up with a fire, even as he gave me a disdainful sneer. "Your lot usually wrecks whatever we make for you, anyway. What's your name, Private?"

"Conrad, sir." I provided the name I'd used earlier, before bowing slightly. "I hope to be useful to the department."

"As I said, we'll see about that." The man repeated. "My name is Norman. I'm one of the lead scientists of this facility. You'll be answering to me."

"Sir?" I feigned confusion. A chime accompanied the elevator doors opening, revealing a very sophisticated laboratory, filled with many implements I'd read about in my studies, as well as many others.

"Well, assuming your skills are up to par.." He said, waving it off as he exited the elevator. "I'll be your boss, basically. Come along now; let's get your reassignment confirmed in the system so we can get to work."

_Damn!_

I hadn't taken that into account. Of course, they'd have checks in the system to confirm things like this!

I steadied my breath, knowing it wouldn't do to freak out at a time like this.

Guards were stationed at each corner of the laboratory, still as statues, eyes lazily watching me follow the scientist towards the desks on the side of the room.

A shine of something orange caught my eye, and I turned my gaze to the two missing Dragonballs. There they were.

"All right." Norman's voice grabbed my attention once more. "Let's see here… What did you say your name was, Private?"

"Conrad." I replied, already turning my attention to the four armed guards.

There wouldn't be any way I could take out all four of them at once without raising any alarms.

Not that it mattered— I knew I would have to fight my way out of this place no matter what.

"That's strange… I don't see it anywhere…" The scientist muttered loud enough for me to hear— that was my cue.

Even as Norman the techie was turning to me with a suspicious look, I had already vaulted over the many tables and equipment of the lab, using my body weight to knock the first guard down.

A swift chop to the neck, and he was out. In the moment of shock that rippled through everyone, I rushed another guard, tackling him hard into the steel wall and activating my **[Mana Shield]** with a whisper.

**-45 MP!**

The remaining two guards opened fire as the alarms started ringing.

**-400 MP!**

**-500 MP!**

**-450 MP!**

I felt the impacts on me, impressed with these men's accuracy, especially considering I'd just come at them out of nowhere— but it wasn't enough for me to spare them.

Two rushes, two strikes, and all the guards of the guards were down for the count.

"Y-you!" Norman the techie seemed shocked at what I'd done as he glared at me. "You won't get away with this!"

I didn't reply, merely rushing to the center of the room and grabbing the Dragonballs, stashing them in my **[Inventory]**.

I quickly made my way to the elevator, walking past the frightened looking scientists and not even glancing in Norman's direction.

"You think you can steal from us? We're the Red Ribbon Army!" He snarled as I reached for the elevator's button— the alarm ringing at full swing.

I blinked; the button was tinted red now. A security measure?

I turned to the techie. "How do I get out of here?"

"Haha!" He laughed in my face, a cruel sneer on his lips. "There's no way out for you, 'Conrad'. This whole place is on lockdown. The elevators won't work, the stairways are locked shut, and the entire army's already on its way. No windows, 6-inch thick steel walls… You're finished!"

I stifled a snort, before pulling my radar out and checking to see where the Dragonballs in Chichi's possession were. To my right— ah, west.

I turned to the wall and extended my hand, gauging how much I'd need to throw in the attack.

**-10,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!" **My hand exploded with power as the large ball of Ki impacted against the wall, tearing through it with ease.

I watched it go further, through the flimsier adjacent building— exploding with force enough to make everything in the current room shake and even topple over.

**+500 XP!**

**+550 XP!**

**+530 XP!**

**+570 XP!**

**+600 XP!**

**+500 XP!**

**+550 XP!**

**+300 XP!**

**+800 XP!**

**+200 XP!**

**+700 XP!**

**+40 XP!**

**+20 XP!**

**+60 XP!**

**+50 XP!**

**+10 XP!**

**+500 XP!**

I froze for a moment, staring at the notifications and my hand in astonishment. That had been way too much power!

_Not the time, Ten. _I chided myself, ignoring the cries of shock of the people around me. _I can use this as a smokescreen._

I quickly leapt into the dust, harshly crashing into the ground and running off in the direction of the remaining Dragonballs- albeit at a slow pace so as not to arouse suspicion.

None of the soldiers on site even tried to stop me, though a few did make loud proclamations of my traitorous nature.

My confusion only lasted for a few seconds, before realizing they likely thought I was a cowardly deserter, turning tail and running at the first sign of trouble.

_So much for the fearsome prowess of the Red Ribbon Army._ I sneered, trying to keep the thoughts of all the people I'd just killed out of my mind. Killers and immoral scientists, I tried to justify.

_Reduced to experience points._ Part of me laughed at the thought.

I shook the thought off. I would have time for this later. I continued to suppress all thoughts save escaping as I reached the edge of the forest.

Home free.

Just as I was about to activate **[Sneak]** and run off into the sunset, I felt a power settle itself over my form, locking me in place.

**Debuff!**

**[Chains] - 3 seconds.**

I managed to struggle out of the hold, but not before my way was cut off by a pair of soldiers- I recognized the names above their heads. They were Blue's squad; Navy and Turquoise.

"Imagine my surprise." I froze, recognizing the voice behind me as well. "When I saw that the winner of the Central Games was getting harrassed by our very own Drax."

General Blue himself was here, and he'd known my intentions from the beginning. How?

"Of course, I thought you'd been a new recruit- so I kept an eye on you." Blue walked past me, standing in between his two subordinates.

He stared me down with his blue eyes, grabbing his cap and throwing it to the side. It was strange seeing him in an army uniform; a double breasted shirt, with the Red Ribbon logo patched into it in different spots; baggy, dark blue pants tucked into black jackboots, reaching up to his shin.

I'd made sure no one was watching me, and yet he'd somehow kept an eye on me?

"Not that kind of eye, young Ten." He smirked, tapping at the side of his head.

Realization dawned.

"You understand, then?" Blue turned his nose up at me as I activated **[Gamer's Mind]** with no hesitation. "You never had a-"

**Intrusion detected.**

**Intrusion cleared.**

All three of them reflexively flinched as my passive's mental barriers did the equivalent of slamming the door in their faces- a thick, steel door, only good for bashing people with.

I seized the chance, mercilessly rushing and driving my fist into Blue's stomach and launching two **[Ki Ball]**s at my remaining opponents.

**-1,000 Ki!**

**-1,000 Ki!**

I didn't waste any time, ignoring the resulting explosions of power and dashing into the forest as I re-equipped my weapons and armor, feeling the boost to my magic supply and speed.

Speaking of speed…

**-500 Ki!**

I launched into **[Sprint]**, trying to escape the premises as fast as possible. I managed to gain some distance between myself and Blue before I felt the effects of the restraining power again.

**Debuff!**

**[Chains] - 3 seconds.**

"That was a clever trick you just pulled." Blue was back, his two flunkies renewing the debuff with little effort. The two were cut up and bleeding, but they did not seem to register the damage inflicted. "I wonder how? A martial artist with the ability to shield his mind, out to steal our Dragonballs..?"

I said nothing to him, my mind furiously attempting to figure a way out of this. I mentally called up my **[Status Sheet]**.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer**

**Level: 27 (7,680/28,000 XP)  
Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 11,042 ; [33,597]  
MP: 10,780 ; [35,450/37,047]  
Ki: 14,883 ; [33,500/45,283]**

**STR: 119 ; [233.24]  
VIT: 116 ; [227.36]  
AGI: 142 ; [278.32]  
INT: 100 ; [145.00]  
WIS: 100 ; [145.00]**

**Points: 0  
Battle Power: 125.7, [246]**

**oooo**

"Perhaps you are part of another sect of our illustrious army." Blue mused, eyes lighting up with cruelty. "Maybe we should pry you open and see what makes you tick? Perhaps torture you for the information beforehand."

I felt my blood run cold for the briefest of moments before the emotions were leached into the void of **[Gamer's Mind].** My most hated skill was currently the only thing keeping my head in the game.

I'd be angry about that if the emotion wasn't being sucked away. Instead, I focused on the matter at hand.

The two flunkies weren't letting me move. Maybe I could wait in the moment between their uses of the skill to escape?

No. They were too well-trained for that, I realized.

"Or, perhaps I should pay a visit to South City… I believe you have family there? A mother. Perhaps some friends at school." Blue got my attention once more, his smirke going wider. "Oh, you believed we wouldn't know about your history? You, who defeated me at the tournament?"

My dread was quickly dealt with, and my mind worked even more furiously for a way out of this.

But, there was no way out of this, was there? No, I had to stand and fight.

They thought me helpless. Unable to move, unable to use my Ki. Their knowledge of me was limited. I would hammer them like I'd hammered General Blue the first time around- with my mind.

I focused my will on the two holding me down, repeatedly invoking **[Insight]**.

I watched the various popups detailing their character sheets- the edited texts showing their struggle at keeping my mind at bay from digging its claws deeper in theirs.

I watched their faces drain of color as I, quite literally, spammed the skill at them until they lost the focus required to hold me still.

Blue, on the other hand, looked livid. "It was you who'd breached my defenses, that day!"

Now free, I waved my hand at the lot of them, as if I was wiping at the air.

They thought themselves the only ones capable of tricks- but they would know terror for threatening my family.

**-2,400 MP!**

"**[Dazzle]**." I cast the spell and made them experience the hellscape of the Demon Realm, the suffocating, smoky air. The dead forests, the scorched earth. The demons and the undead lurking at every corner, rushing at them with tooth, nail and claw.

The two flunkies dropped to the floor and flopped like fish as they clawed at the sides of their heads, screaming in terror.

General Blue, on the other hand, was down on his knees, eyes closed in focus and his two hands pressed tightly into his head.

He was fighting the illusion. Soon, he would break out.

Not that it mattered, I thought as I pulled **[Stinger]** and ended the life of his flunkies with a stab each, before turning the blade on him.

Blue opened his eyes and moved, just in time to intercept my stab and use my momentum to throw me into a nearby tree. I crashed through a tree or two before I was stopped by the third, falling to the ground in a heap.

**-2,000 MP!**

I made to move against the man, but the sight of an entire company of men, flanked by no less than three tanks stopped me short.

"Fire, men!" Drax, the Drill Sergeant, roared. The men roared in turn and began to shoot at me.

**-800 MP!**

I mustered my will and threw another **[Dazzle]** at the General, very glad that I was able to weather the assault, thanks to **[Mana Shield], **as well as my natural speed.

**-300 MP!**

**-400 MP!**

**-350 MP!**

**-800 MP!**

**-600 MP!**

**-650 MP!**

**-700 MP!**

**-45 MP!**

**-500 MP!**

**-1,000 MP!**

I tried to make it to the General, intent on ending his life, but the thrown grenades kept stopping my advance short.

He was out of reach, I realized as I continued to evade enemy fire, though I knew I couldn't keep this up forever.

I leapt to the side, dodging one of the tanks' shells, knowing it tore through several trees behind me.

There was an explosion near the spot I'd landed, sending me flying uncontrollably- right into the sights of another tank.

**-4,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!"** My reaction was instinctive, the ball of Ki exploding against the tank and sending everyone flying. Even better, Blue got smashed in the head by the debris.

He did not get up. Before I could even think of examining the man's unconscious form, I heard the cry of "Fire!"

I had a single moment to react, reinforcing my body with Ki, and casting **[Ironize]**, knowing this wasn't something I could dodge.

**-3,000 MP!**

My world exploded in fire.

**-10,000 Ki!**

**-22,850 MP!**

**-15,000 HP!**

The pain was unreal. I lost my sense of direction completely, but **[Gamer's Mind]** furiously tried to retain its focus, with surprisingly limited success.

What a time to find out my limits!

Faintly, I realized I had been sent flying far back, away from the following gunfire and explosions.

I had just enough focus to activate **[Sneak]** before I smashed harshly into the ground, quickly rolling into a crawl away from the now cheering army.

I had no sense of where I was and my thoughts were a jumbled up mess, but two had gotten past the fog over my brain and settled in my soul.

_I am alive._

_Keep moving._

I kept repeating the two sentences over and over in my head, slowly regaining focus and control over my motor functions.

Crawling became walking on all fours, which graduated into full blown running.

I had succeeded in my mission, but I'd lost the battle- but that wasn't even on my mind, focused as it was on the very act of escaping.

_I hope Chichi is all right._ The thought came unbidden, as I continued to run, the moon slowly rising in the starry sky above.

I would make it back to her. No matter what.

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	29. Chapter 28

**I drew a cover!** What do you think?

oooo

A few general replies to the reviews I got.

1) Ten hating the use of **[Gamer's Mind] **is part of his character. He hesitates to use it, even if it may severely disadvantage him in a fight. Ten is not "stupid", nor is he "retarded", as some of you have put it. He simply wants to be himself, and doesn't appreciate that this skill is affecting his mind in negative ways. If you're looking for Gary Stus, you're in the wrong story.

2) Ten defeated Blue during the Central Games, which naturally forced the Red Ribbon Army to step up their genetic engineering and power up their troops as a result. Most of you understood this, but some of you didn't. It's called canon divergence.

**oooo  
Chapter 28  
oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 9 (Night), Forest near Red Ribbon Base**

_Just keep running._

The thought kept repeating itself as I rushed my way through the thick brush of the forest, the sound of jets and other planes filling my ears.

I hadn't been caught, as of yet. It had only been around ten minutes since my daring escape from General Blue and the Red Ribbon Army.

Having consumed a **NutriBar** and some water on the go, I nervously— though that nervousness quickly changed to impassivity due to **[Gamer's Mind]**— kept checking on my stats.

Amazing as my recovery was supposed to be, I noticed that it wasn't going as fast as expected. I was about to consult my **[Status Sheet]**, when-

**+3,800 XP!**

**+4,200 XP!**

_What's this?_ I thought in confusion as I continued to run.

Why had I suddenly gotten experience?

Had I accidentally hit someone just now?

I frowned and launched a few probing tendrils of power, invoking **[Insight] **but only scanning trees, bugs and other assorted critters.

Nothing.

_What had that been?_

That's when it hit me. The other two— Blue's flunkies, they'd likely just died from their injuries. I barely reacted to the new information, **[Gamer's Mind]** quickly reducing it into nothing.

Oh, how I hated this skill, and yet it was the only thing which kept me alive.

The indignity of having to use it again would have bothered me, if the passive hadn't muted most of my emotions.

Discarding such thoughts, I focused back on the matter at hand and pulled up my **[Status Sheet].**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 27 (15,680/28,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 11,042 ; [18,597/33,597] [Poison Gas]  
MP: 10,780 ; [ 3,500/37,047] [Poison Gas]  
Ki: 14,883 ; [21,500/45,283] [Poison Gas]**

**STR: 119 ; [233.24]  
VIT: 116 ; [227.36]  
AGI: 142 ; [278.32]  
INT: 100 ; [145.00]  
WIS: 100 ; [145.00]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 125.7, [246]**

**oooo**

I'd been poisoned? The air smelled exactly the same as it always did. I frowned and called up the debuff's explanation.

**oooo**

**[Poison Gas]: You have inhaled airborne toxins. Your regenerative effects are severely lowered.**

**Duration: 9h50m**

**oooo**

"That… doesn't really explain it. I thought **[Gamer's Body]** stopped this sort of thing from happening?" I muttered, speeding up my escape attempt, wanting to get out of here as fast as I could manage.

**[Gamer's Mind]** had kept me going in the fight against Blue and his now-deceased flunkies, but **[Gamer's Body]** had been pulling its own weight the whole time.

Dealing with toxins, damage which should have turned me into a fine, bloody mist. I imagined what it would be like to have my lungs erupt in fiery agony; airborne toxins usually did that sort of thing.

I remembered a time I read about what mustard gas was capable of— blisters all over the skin, inside of the lungs— it would make me shiver just imagining it.

That is the sort of torture the Red Ribbon Army had tried to inflict on me, and the entire world was their target.

_Perhaps I should pay a visit to South City… I believe you have family there? A mother. Perhaps some friends at school. _Blue had said.

The fury which threatened to rise up was quickly shunted into whatever void **[Gamer's Mind]** liked to throw things into.

I continued to run for the next few minutes, until the forest ahead of me was awash in flame. The explosion's blast wave slammed into me with the force of a freight train, causing me to stumble into a roll.

I quickly got to my feet, staring at the sheer destruction ahead of me. Acres upon acres of forestland, reduced to a fiery mess.

I looked up to see the source of the explosion, a hoverjet of some sort, armed with missiles as tall and as wide as the Ox-King.

With that thing in the air, I would not be able to escape with any sort of effectiveness. I hid behind one of the trees at the very edge of the destruction, watching as the hoverjet began to position itself to begin another sweep with its missiles.

I moved slowly, bending my knees and reinforcing them with Ki.

**-500 Ki!**

**oooo  
Ping!  
oooo  
Due to your quick thinking, you've created a new-  
oooo**

I willed the notification away— I would check every single one after the crisis was over— and leapt towards the hoverjet, easily reaching the vehicle in question and ripping the door off its hinges with a solid motion.

"Hostile! Fire!"

I stayed on top of the vehicle as the soldiers inside began to freak out at the sudden attack, bullets flying out of the opening.

Eventually, the firing stopped, allowing me to hop into the flying vehicle and throwing all four of its occupants out, not even considering their wellbeing.

The jet's radio was going crazy— it was General Blue, screaming into it. I would have had a nice little chat with the fellow, but the jet was spinning out of control, and I wasn't exactly keen on trying to stabilize it.

**+800 XP!**

**+850 XP!**

**+1,000 XP!**

**+500 XP!**

Note to self, I thought as I dropped out of the jet, watching it veer its way into the treeline, where it exploded magnificently; learn how to fly jet vehicles.

I heard a ping, showing that I'd gained another notification, but kept my eyes peeled for any other interlopers— ah, there. It was another one of the jet engines, likely sent by Blue to reinforce the first.

I slowly moved back into what little undamaged forestland remained, waiting for the opportune moment to initiate another launch.

There.

**-500 Ki!**

I leapt once more, intent on wrecking this vehicle as well. I only reached its top, when the metal roof beneath me was ripped into shreds, revealing an enraged looking General Blue.

His once immaculate uniform was now torn and burned in places, his hair singed and ruffled, and his eyes were crazed.

I had only a split moment to react as the man laid into me with his telekinetic power.

**-200 HP!**

**-45 MP!**

**-1,000 MP!**

**[Mana Shield]** came alive at once absorbing the remainder of the damage and tearing the hoverjet apart, sending us both flying down into the burnt husk of the forest.

**-100 MP!**

I managed to drop into a roll to mitigate the impact.

"You didn't think you could just _walk away _from me, did you?" Blue's clear, commanding voice cut through the smoke and fire. "Though, I'll admit to being surprised you made it this far, with the poison and all… How you're still able to breathe at all is a miracle."

I slowly stood, deactivating **[Mana Shield] **in order to conserve energy. I took stock of my stats, gritting my teeth at the low numbers.

Half HP, half Ki, almost out of MP…

What kind of damage had Blue taken, on the other hand?

**Intrusion detected.**

**Intrusion cleared.**

"Your mental prowess is impressive." The man praised as he took a few steps forward, a light blue aura surrounding his form.

I didn't bother to correct him on the matter, instead trying to gauge what state he was in.

He was obviously not at peak strength, the damage done to him in our previous fight should've been substantial.

Still, he looked like he was fighting fit.

We circled each other warily, though I kept my eyes peeled for any reinforcements. I didn't wish to get hit by another tank shell again.

Blue initiated by rushing towards me at blinding speed, his roundhouse kick barely missing my head as I swiftly stepped back before rushing into his guard and sending a fist into his stomach.

Instead of doubling over, as I'd expected him to, my fist only crashed against his blue energy, the momentum sending him flying back, but seemingly doing no damage whatsoever.

I stared at the man warily, watching him slowly get back to his feet, a cruel smile forming on his face.

"Did you think you were the only one with special shielding abilities, boy?" Blue gloated. "You thought that I would remain weak after you defeated me in the Central Games? You won't have such an easy win this time."

"It wasn't an easy win." I replied despite myself.

"Unlike you, I watched those recordings. You were holding back." The man scoffed, rushing me again, forcing me to dodge and weave past his strikes. "Even now, you hold your full strength back!"

I made no further reply, focusing on dodging every move the man made. I leapt over another kick, straight into his punch, which I managed to redirect with a well executed parry.

In response, he spun slightly, transfering all of his momentum into his elbow, slamming it into my collarbone and sending me flying to the side.

**-2,500 HP!**

No sooner had I got to my feet than a fist impacted with my face, sending me tumbling into the scorched earth once again.

**-1,500 HP!**

"How does it feel to be so humiliated?" I felt the man's knee press itself over my back as he grabbed my arms and held them behind my back. "You thought you could defeat us, Ten. What a foolish child. We are the Red Ribbon. Do you know why it's called that?"

I struggled to move out of his grasp, and found that I couldn't. He was just that much stronger than I was.

Or maybe his lock was simply that effect.

He laughed at my attempts. "You're actually quite strong! One wonders as to how you achieved such strength, when, months ago, you barely had a fraction of the power you now have."

A moment of silence passed as I racked my mind on what I was supposed to do.

"Not that it matters, I suppose." He spoke airily. "Soon, you'll be dead, and then we'll go after your family, as well as anyone who's ever had any association with you."

Mom, dad. Kai. Dyran. Baba. Akkuman and the others. My friends at school. Old Palm in Central City. Mark.

Chichi.

No.

I felt **[Gamer's Mind]** dissolve with my will as I allowed myself to be filled with anger and despair.

"Your mental walls have fallen, as well?" Blue taunted. "Perhaps I shall keep you alive for the interrogation, instead. I will—"

**-45 MP!**

I covered myself in my **[Mana Shield]**, let my feelings grow to blinding levels before opening my palms and pointing them at him, injecting every bit of my rage and despair into my Ki.

It was foolish of him to keep my hands behind his back.

**-20,000 Ki!**

"**Ha!**" The blast exploded in the man's midsection point blank, and the world turned white with agony.

**-2,310 MP!**

**-14,000 HP!**

I felt my body embed itself into the scorched earth, the light and noise of the explosion completely obscuring what happened to Blue.

When the light and dust finally began to die down, I found myself staring at the clear, starry sky of the night, the sound of fire crackling the only thing remaining.

I felt the pain coursing through my body, **[Gamer's Body] **doing very little to mitigate the effect— or was this the watered down version of what I'd truly have been feeling in a situation like this?

I had no answer to that, I blearily thought as I began to take stock of myself. With some effort, I managed to pop myself out of the earth, noting the man-shaped indentation I'd formed in it.

All around the indent, there was a massive crater, one which had been created by my power.

"I'm still alive." I muttered in astonishment, quickly pulling my **[Status Sheet]** up and grimacing at the horrible numbers.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 27 (18,830/28,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 11,042 ; [400/33,597] [Poison Gas]  
MP: 10,780 ; [ 0/37,047] [Poison Gas]  
Ki: 14,883 ; [500/45,283] [Poison Gas]**

**STR: 119 ; [233.24]  
VIT: 116 ; [227.36]  
AGI: 142 ; [278.32]  
INT: 100 ; [145.00]  
WIS: 100 ; [145.00]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 125.7, [246]**

**Current BP: 10 [Near-Death]**

**oooo**

I was so close to death it wasn't even funny.

A weak cough from my right made itself known. Instantly, I tensed and warily moved to the side, feeling my body protest heavily against the motions.

It was General Blue— or, whatever was left of him, I should say.

His charred form lay on its back, the explosion having separated his lower body from his upper body.

His left arm had been blown off, but his right flexed as he struggled to get a hold of himself.

I stared at the broken husk of the man, feeling absolutely no sympathy for him. I had hoped the blast would have completely obliterated him.

His one remaining eye finally settled on me, the other one now only a burnt out husk, contorting into an ugly look of rage.

The half-corpse tried to speak, to move, to call up whatever remained of its power at me, but no sound came out.

Nothing happened.

I did not have any more words to say.

I pulled **[Stinger]** out and drove it through his ribcage, into his heart, watching as the rage in his remaining good eye turned glassy, until there was nothing left of him but dead, charred meat.

**+10,000 XP!**

I heard a series of pings but paid no attention to them, instead focusing on leaving the area before any reinforcements made their way here.

In my current state, I doubted I would last very long, if at all. Even a few bullets could have killed me.

I quickly passed the zone of charred earth, through a few more patches of untouched forestland— the army seemed to be in disarray, after the death of their troops and three of their most valuable commanders— and into the vaguely familiar, wild hillsides north of the Ox-King's home.

After an hour or so's worth of running, I finally recognized landmarks I'd crossed in the past and found my way to a very familiar looking camping spot.

I remembered sleeping here, many months ago, before I'd made my way to Central City. It was a spot I'd found while randomly exploring the area, nestled into the hillside and hidden from above by the trees around it.

I roughly stumbled into the spot, using the cave wall to hold myself up and closely listening to any flying vehicles— a surprise sneak attack, maybe.

Finally, after minutes of absolutely nothing, I dropped to my knees in exhaustion.

I was still alive. Blue was dead. His flunkies were dead. I'd crippled the Red Ribbon Army— for now.

My family was in danger, assuming the now-former General Blue wasn't stingy with his information. It would make sense, our fight was public knowledge, and they'd used my previous abilities as some baseline to improve his by a ton.

He hadn't counted on my Ki abilities having improved so much. Still, that had easily been one of the most difficult fights I'd ever taken part of.

I tried to continue that line of thought, but my body was no longer responding, the exhaustion having completely shut it down.

The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was the wall of the cave.

**oooo**

I woke up to the sound of a ping.

Purely on habit, I called it up and began to read, ignoring the stiffness of the motion and the general feeling of exhaustion that came over me.

**oooo**

**You have slept on the hard rock floor of a cave!  
10% HP/MP/Ki restored!  
Status Effects partially mitigated.**

**oooo**

So, that's why everything felt so stiff… Wait.

Quickly enough, I felt the alarm encompass my being, forcing me to quickly sit up, checking my surroundings and listening for anything out of the ordinary.

Minutes passed with nothing happening.

I sighed as I slowly scooted back, pressing against the cave wall as I tried to get my emotions under control.

"I took on the Red Ribbon Army and won." I said slowly.

"I almost _died_." I added. "My HP was almost zero."

It was a chilling thought. Any more damage and it would have all been over. Intellectually, I knew, for a fact, that there was life after death— the ghosts the Baba employed, as well as my venture into another realm, were plenty proof of that.

Still, the mere thought of it sent chills down my spine.

_But you're not dead._ Part of me replied, keeping me focused. _And you've still got to meet up with Chichi and the others, as well as warn your parents of the eventual retaliatory strikes the Red Ribbon Army is sure to launch._

I had to keep moving, I thought as I tried to get up— with absolutely no luck. What was wrong with me?

I frowned, instead pulling up all of the notifications I'd been ignoring up to this point, maybe there was something which would explain my current situation.

There were the expected increases to my **[Sneak]** skill, a few level ups to **[Insight]**, one level up to **[Ki Ball]**...

I read through it all.

**For using stealth to sneak into the Red Ribbon Army base, utilizing your [Techie] skill to lie well enough to be led into their research department, you've received +10 to INT/WIS**

**oooo**

**After managing to survive the lethal onslaught of several platoons of well-armed soldiers, you've received +10 to STR/VIT/AGI!**

**oooo**

**Sneak (Lv 35- 10%) - You're a ninja! Well, not really, but you have enough wherewithal to not prance around in the open where things can spot and kill you easily. 39% chance of staying unnoticed. Attacking while in this state will yield a critical strike; however, you will lose your [Concealed] buff as soon as you show yourself.**

**oooo**

**Insight (Lv 50- 84%/Active): Having incorporated your Ki and magic power in the skill, Observe has evolved into Insight. The higher the skill, the greater the data obtained. Insight will show your target's HP/MP/Ki, their level, age, race, as well as their battle power.**

**25% Ability to go unnoticed past an enemy's mental resistance.**

**oooo**

**Ki Ball (Lv 45 - 23%/Active): Since time immemorial, living creatures have learned to harness their life energy and bring it to the surface. The Ki Ball is the most basic of techniques.**

**It has a base cost of 300 Ki and deals 1055 damage. Further damage will require more Ki, at the same ratio of cost. Note that the Ki Ball will become larger and slower the more Ki you inject into it.**

**oooo**

**Having fought against General Blue, your [Martial Arts] skill has levelled up twice!**

**Martial Arts (Lv 52 - 3%/Passive): Many ages ago, the first people watched animals in nature, marveling at their different methods of catching prey; the ferociousness of the tiger, the patience of the mantis, and so on. Naturally, they began to emulate their movements and taught others to follow these same movements. Passively increases STR, VIT and AGI by 53%.**

**Known Styles: Tiger Style, Palm Karate Style**

**oooo**

**Quest Complete**

**Red Ribbon of Blood and Death**

**You've uncovered the Red Ribbon's secret plot: to take the Dragonballs and make a wish!**

**You stormed their outpost, destroyed their Dragonball locator and annihilated their most powerful soldiers!**

**Reward: 100,000 XP, +5 INT, +5 WIS**

**oooo**

**You have gained multiple levels!**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 31 (10,830/32,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 12,911 ; [4,400/40,205]  
MP: 13,597 ; [4,600/43,495]  
Ki: 17,402 ; [6,200/54,190]**

**STR: 129 ; [255.42]  
VIT: 126 ; [249.48]  
AGI: 152 ; [300.96]  
INT: 115 ; [166.75]  
WIS: 115 ; [166.75]**

**Points: 25**

**Battle Power: 135.6, [268]**

**Current BP: 50 [Post-Battle Exhaustion]**

**oooo**

Hm… I'd lost the effect of the **[Poison Gas] **and **[Near Death]**, but was now under the effect of **[Post-Battle Exhaustion]** instead.

Just what did _that_ entail?

I pulled up the effect's description.

**oooo**

**Post-Battle Exhaustion: You cannot move in any measurably useful way due to the extreme stresses you put on your body.**

**Duration: 2h40m**

**oooo**

So much for easily healing up from any situation, I thought morosely as I pulled a **NutriBar** out of my **[Inventory]** and began to eat, knowing I was going to be stuck here for a while.

_I hope Chichi's doing well._

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	30. Chapter 29

**oooo**

**Chapter 29**

**oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 10 (Late evening), West Edge Diablo Desert**

_I need to reach them._ I hurried through the terrain, but the Red Ribbon Army was a stubborn lot. Despite the heavy blow I'd dealt their members, the army insisted on sending troops after me.

None were anywhere near the caliber of Blue, or even his two flunkies, but there had been enough of them that I had to stop what I was doing to deal with them.

This, of course, wasted what precious time I had to find the others, or at least get to a city so I could contact them.

_After this, I'm getting an international phone. No expenses spared._ I thought grimly as I watched yet another jet engine crash into the ground, experience numbers appearing on my screen.

**500 XP!**

**600 XP!**

**1,200 XP!**

**400 XP!**

**250 XP!**

Five soldiers— five _people_ dead, this time. Likely still more—

**750 XP!**

**300 XP!**

**1,500 XP!**

Make that eight people dead. Eight people I'd killed, and I wasn't even batting an eye. Then again, what even was my body count, at this point?

The first few were the pirates, very early on.

I'd killed some demons, but that had been no skin off my nose. They were monstrous creatures, undead and worse: malice incarnate, born to kill, torture and destroy.

But these people? Sure, they were mercenaries, only caring about the money in their wallets and the advantages such a lifestyle would give.

Still, they were _people_, and how many of them had I killed?

At least a hundred— maybe even more. My level had already increased almost thrice over the course of my trip west.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 33 (25,830/34,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 12,911 ; [40,435]  
MP: 13,597 ; [44,309]  
Ki: 17,402 ; [54,500]**

**STR: 129 ; [255.42]  
VIT: 126 ; [249.48]  
AGI: 152 ; [300.96]  
INT: 115 ; [166.75]  
WIS: 115 ; [166.75]**

**Points: 35**

**Battle Power: 136, [268]**

**oooo**

It was all I could do. Follow the Dragonballs.

It would take me ages to get home, and my best bet was to reach Bulma, who was likely near the Dragonballs, and commandeer whatever phone tech she had on her.

As the daughter of Capsule Corp, it was a sure thing that she had a way to contact her parents. Rich kids always had the good gadgets, after all.

The small guilty feeling I had about actually stealing from the girl was quickly squashed due to two reasons.

One: she tried to kill me, and that's not something I can easily forgive.

Two: Mom was in danger. My father, possibly. Hopefully, he and Dyran could hold off whatever offensive the Red Ribbon decided to launch.

If they didn't, well… I didn't want to think about the consequences.

_One thing at a time, Ten._ I told myself. _Focus on the objective. Reach Chichi and the others, use Bulma's phone and hope it's not too late._

I ignored the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach with a few, well practiced breaths. _Stay positive._

Part of my thoughts drifted to an ever-present skill which could solve all of my current emotional problems. The guilt of killing those men and women— however self-serving and vile their acts were.

I'd seen them joking around with each other, behaving as friends would have. They weren't irredeemable, and I'd killed them.

_**[Gamer's Mind] **__would take the guilt away._ Part of me thought slyly. _Just a quick press, or even a thought activation, and all of my problems will disappear into the Void._

They would. I knew, all too well. The guilt, the fear concerning the fate of my parents, my girlfriend, as well as everyone I knew— it would all disappear.

_But then, I would no longer be myself._ The thought came almost aggressively, and I could almost hear Uranai Baba's words in my head:

"_Have you considered that it might possibly be unhealthy to deny yourself the experience of your emotions, child?_"

I remembered my breakdown, and I remember the cause of it. This _useful_, _dangerous_ passive skill. Only in the most dire of circumstances would I ever use it.

_Is this situation not dire enough?_ My mind almost screamed.

_A different mindset won't make my body any faster than it already is._ I argued back. _But the agility points would._

Without hesitation, I dumped all my 35 points into AGI.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 33 (25,830/34,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 12,911 ; [40,435]  
MP: 13,597 ; [44,309]  
Ki: 17,402 ; [54,500]**

**STR: 129 ; [255.42]  
VIT: 126 ; [249.48]  
AGI: 187 ; [370.26]  
INT: 115 ; [166.75]  
WIS: 115 ; [166.75]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 147, [291]**

**oooo**

With a nod, I increased my pace, hoping I'd make it to the others in time. My parents' lives depended on it.

As if on cue, the sound of jet engines slowly entered my perceptions.

"More of them…" I snarled, the anger overtaking the guilt almost immediately. "They just keep lining up to die!"

I leapt towards the jet plane, driving my fingers into the metal and using a hand to tear the door off its hinges before they could close it.

Guns were aimed towards me, but I quickly tore into the people holding them, receiving minor damage to my MP for my troubles, leaving me with the final occupant of the plane.

He looked like he was about to soil himself. I turned my gaze to the headset he wore— faintly hearing the frantic cries of an operator on the other end of the line.

"If you speak into the microphone, I'll kill you." I said calmly, eyeing the man like a cat would a mouse. "If you pull out your gun, I'll kill you. If you disobey any of my commands, I'll kill you. Do you understand?"

A slow, deliberate nod.

"Good." I said. "Take the headset off."

He obeyed with shaky hands. I pulled the Dragon Radar out of my **[Inventory]** and stared at the readout for a second.

"Southwest... twenty degrees from the west." I ordered, turning my gaze to him. "Top speed."

He only stared back.

"Did I stutter?" I raised my hand and pointed it at him. I saw the color drain from his skin as he found himself face to face with his death in the form of the Ki slowly collecting at the center of my palm.

He nodded vigorously, turning to the flight controls and making some adjustments. I moved closer to him to make sure he wasn't trying to trick me.

The **[Techie]** skill was proving its worth, at this very moment. I analyzed all of the buttons, doohickeys and gadgets arrayed in front of the pilot.

I immediately knew that he'd adjusted our trajectory to my precise specification. I may not have had the skill to operate this craft, but I likely would be able to figure it out, given enough time.

Certainly, it was enough to know he wasn't cheating me. The system pinged.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**For an effective use of your scientific know-how and deductive skills, [Techie] has gained several levels!**

**Techie (Lv 15 - 5%/Passive): Your keen interest in technology will bring you far in life, as it is the future of your race. At the moment, your theoretical knowledge is extensive, and your experience with the "hands-on" aspect of your education is progressing at a good pace.**

**oooo**

I blinked.

_Just from studying advanced machinery?_ I was so shocked at the turn of events that the pilot began to get nervous at whatever it was that caused my reaction.

I suppressed a humorless snort. He likely thought I was going to be killing him, or something.

Then again, the dead bodies still in the plane couldn't have been helping him.

"How long until we get to…" I checked the radar and blurted out a set of coordinates, before giving him a pointed look.

The man quickly turned to the controls and fiddled with them, jittery and afraid I'd end his life on a whim. "Uh…"

He stuttered for a few more moments before finally replying. "A bit over an hour. Hour and ten minutes."

I blinked. I could probably reach something close to that speed, but I didn't want to trigger my **[Physical Exhaustion]** debuff.

The pilot trembled at my lack of response, lowering his head as if he was about to receive a deathblow.

"Kill me." His voice shook with the words he spoke.

_Did he just…?_

"What?" I blurted out.

"Kill me." He repeated himself, more forcefully this time. His eyes were glued at something behind me. I turned my gaze to note one of the soldiers I'd already killed.

His chest had been caved in from the force of my charge, forcing the blood out of his orifices. His eyes were wide with fear and bloodshot, and his face was frozen in a rictus of agony.

Under his crumpled form was a pool of blood.

I stared at the dead man's eyes for a few more seconds until the pilot's labored breathing caught my attention once again.

"I know you're just going to kill me when you get what you want." His eyes had turned fiery with righteous anger. "So, do it now."

_Amusing._ Part of me thought with contempt. _Even among the den of cowards and bullies, a few brave souls can be found._

I linked my power with his lifeforce and cast **[Insight],** reading out his low numbers.

It would be so easy to snap this one's neck. All of his words, all of his bravado; it would end in a single move.

There were so many ways I could finish it. I could rip his organs out. I could bash his head in. I could throw him off of the plane. I could blast him in the face with my **[Ki Ball].**

Hell, at my current strength, even a simple push would likely be enough to end his life, either from the initial change in momentum snapping his neck, or the impact against whatever he was unlucky enough to crash into.

Still… I stared at the man's description with a frown.

**oooo**

**Krad - Lv 18**

**Race - Human  
Age - 21**

**HP: 3,900/4,200**

**Rep: 0/100,000 Hated**

**Description: His father having abandoned the family at a very young age, Krad has had to skip school and fail his classes to help his mother make ends meet. After his mother became disabled due to an accident, he dropped out of school altogether and did whatever it took to keep food on the table for her and his sweet, but timid little brother.**

**He eventually joined the Red Ribbon Army, willing to stain his hands with blood if it meant his brother would know what a good childhood is.**

**He is hoping that you kill him, so that the Red Ribbon Army will compensate his family handsomely for his death in the line of duty.**

**Battle Power: 38**

**oooo**

_He's begging me to kill him so that his family could get the life insurance money._ I was beyond perturbed at the thought. _He is willing to lay it all on the line— already has been._

His actions weren't noble: far from it. Maybe there were other ways he could have achieved a form of success to help his family.

Then again, I was biased on that end. My father's disappearance had been accompanied by a hefty sum of money which had kept us in relative comfort for a good long time— more than enough for my mother to get her career back on track.

This man's mother hadn't been so lucky. Nowhere near as lucky, in fact. No support system, two children to feed and a disability on top of it all.

It didn't excuse the man's actions. What he'd done, he knew exactly what the consequences would be. Murder, death and destruction of an unknown number of families, all in the name of Red Ribbon and their insane leadership.

Blue had been bad enough. I wondered what the other Generals were like.

Still, would I have made any different decisions? I remembered the days before I received my powers. Defeated before I even had the chance to take to the sky.

My father was gone, the other students not giving me the time of day— even Rula and Pencil had ignored me for a good long time.

This man; I could have become him, given enough time and hardship.

"I won't kill you." I found myself saying.

Krad's eyes lit up with rage. "You…!"

"Do you think your mother and brother would appreciate you killing and dying for them?" I shot back, the words shocking him into silence.

"H-how do you…"

"You think you're going to die the noble hero, is that it?" He flinched at the words. "You kill, destroy, and think you can redeem yourself by dying? No. I only kill others when there is no other way to escape a situation."

The man turned to the controls, and I already knew what he was planning before his hands even reached for the jet's steering mechanism.

Not even halfway there, I'd already pulled him away from the controls. He struggled and flailed, but I was easily much more powerful than he could ever dream to be.

"You want to make amends?" I asked over his angry struggles. "Help your family and find a job that doesn't involve theft and murder— open a dojo or something, you're certainly strong enough to try. Don't even think about going back to the RRA. You won't be able to find a trace of them when I'm done."

And, with a careful chop, I knocked Krad out. Immediately, his struggles ceased. I slowly set him down, checking over his breathing and physical state.

_A little banged up, but he's just unconscious. _I moved away, and took a seat in front of the controls. I stared at the plane's readouts and tried to figure out how to work this thing.

"It's on autopilot." I muttered slowly, my index hovering over the indicator. "That's the toggle. I'll leave it for now. He said it'd take around an hour and ten minutes… It's been around fifteen?"

Which left over fifty minutes for the trip.

_Could I simply land the ship, drop him off somewhere and keep going?_ I thought to myself before shaking my head.

_Actually…_ I smiled as another thought popped up. I got off the controls and gave a thorough search of the ship. There were various armaments— pistols, rifles, a shotgun and a lot of ammo. I stared at the pistol with some interest, before shaking my head.

I had no idea how to use them.

_One less weapon for the Red Ribbon._ Another part of me argued.

I supposed that was a no-brainer, I thought as I emptied the plane of all ordnance, throwing it all into my **[Inventory]**. This included a few grenades, as well.

I opened a nearby box and almost goggled. "Missiles."

There was a helpful little clipboard at the top. Most of it was bureaucratic gibberish, filled with stamps, authorizations and ranks, but I managed to spy a few of the keywords.

"Surface to air. Bunker buster. Enhanced targeting, extra propellants for quick dodges... Flare avoidance?" I read through the list, my eyes getting wider and wider.

Red Ribbon had _this_ level of technology? Who the hell was designing this?

This was insane, and many levels above what any of the other military organizations were capable of. No wonder the Red Ribbon struck fear into the hearts of everyone on Earth.

I'd thought it had been the gimmicky robots with gigantic swords and flamethrowers; but, this was the true reason. While the enemy troops were too busy dealing with the gimmicks, these enhanced missiles were destroying bunkers, aircraft, headquarters and who knew what else, with ease.

"Red Ribbon of Blood and Death, indeed." I muttered before continuing my search, even going through the dead soldiers' bodies.

They had no phones. Their only method of contact was the plane's controls at the front, as well as the walkie-talkies clipped to their breast pockets.

_So much for contacting my parents._ I thought morosely.

A few compartments had some military rations. I'd keep those for the unconscious fellow. It wouldn't do to have him starve to death on the road home— wherever that was.

"Maybe I should kill him, anyway." I stared at Krad for a moment. I knew that, if I'd activated **[Gamer's Mind]**, I would have killed him in an instant.

There would have been no hesitation. It was cold, it was logical. He was part of the Red Ribbon Army. The Red Ribbon army was my enemy. Therefore, he was my enemy.

Life, however, didn't work like that. There were a thousand factors and one to consider, such as context and many others.

This man, as horrible as he may have been, was never allowed the chance to rise above his faults. He had no special power which allowed him to make a comfortable living for his mother and brother.

He toiled, and toiled pointlessly until the Red Ribbon came to him with an offer he would have been stupid to refuse.

Was he at fault? Sure.

However, the Red Ribbon had manipulated him through his desire to aid his mother and brother. They'd twisted his desire to protect and turned it against their enemies, promising wealth and comfort for his loved ones.

Part of me wanted to kill him for the harm he'd knowingly caused. Part of me wanted to kill him because everything would be simpler that way. But, the biggest part of me, the part I was unwilling to ignore any longer, told me that I should let him go, give him another chance.

If not for him, then for the brother and mother who were counting on him.

Would it bite me in the ass? Possibly.

Was I still willing to go through with it?

_Yes. _I found myself saying. _I have killed enough today._

Perhaps not killing him was just me being selfish.

I snorted, and busied myself with the Dragon Radar.

Now that I actually had the time to rest and relax, I stared at the radar.

_Bulma might be a lying, double crossing, thieving bitch. _I thought acerbically as I checked the make of the radar. _But she's a good engineer, already._

It wasn't exactly a marvel of the craft— not that I was able to make something like this, yet— but it was well made and small enough to fit in my pocket.

Then again, with her being next in line to inherit the Capsule Corporation, miniaturization was probably drummed into her head from a very young age.

My thoughts turned to the tech building in the Red Ribbon outpost. They had a radar of their own— except theirs was too big to be of any use in the field. They'd probably kill to have Bulma's blueprints.

It was an interesting contrast, really.

The Red Ribbon's scientists focused on advancements to make war, while Capsule Corp scientists tried to advance the field in what ways they could and make a little money on the side.

I shook my head and focused my attention on the radar. This thing could detect Dragonballs— likely by the faint energy they gave off.

It wasn't truly a radar, but a reactive sensor— **[Techie]** leveled up once more when I reached that conclusion.

Bulma must have done some comprehensive testing to figure out which earthly element reacted to Dragonballs strongly enough to be able to formulate an equation to calculate distance between the two points and display it on a grid map.

It was impressive; pioneer work based on a legend which could have been utter hogwash.

Not that the legend was wrong, of course.

I snorted. She was going to use the wish for the perfect boyfriend. I didn't even know where to start with that.

A quick look at the ship's controls brought me back to reality: I would reach my destination in a few minutes. And so, I stared off into the distance, wondering what I'd find.

A castle was not something I expected.

"..." I said nothing as the jet plane slowed and began its descent— the autopilot even handled the landing, it looked like.

I'd have taken this craft for my own if I didn't know the RRA had trackers all over it. Even through a cursory inspection, I'd discovered at least two in the flight controls alone.

It made sense— effective communication could only be achieved through effective tracking, after all.

I felt the small thud of the ship's gentle landing and heard the engines slowly powering down, nodding to myself before turning to the unconscious fellow, as well as the corpses.

_I'll leave the ship to him. He'll figure out what to do with it._ I thought to myself before taking the dead bodies and throwing them out of the open hatch.

A second later, I was also out. My knees bent ever-so-slightly as my feet hit the soft, cool dirt.

I looked around to gather my bearings, taking in the castle before me as I felt the cold, night breeze over my skin.

Surrounded by large mushroom trees, the castle was mighty and strong, the half-pyramid style platform, upon which the castle stood, towering above the rest— with the castle proper being twice as high.

It had four tall walls, each with a high tower to defend the ostentatious, domed structures within, as well as an even taller tower near the center. In the background, the full moon hung low in the dark, but starry sky.

At the centermost building, I stared at the satellite dish with an antenna— why was it so big? Such a huge device could not possibly have been used just to catch TV signals.

I shook the thought off and checked the radar. All of the Dragonballs, including the one the hastily formed team was looking for, were together.

Did they manage to convince whoever owned the castle to part with the Dragonball? It was certainly possible; between Chichi's natural charm and Bulma's money, they could have managed it.

I rather doubted the bandit would have been able to do anything other than piss the owner off. Son Goku would have probably not even been worthy of notice.

_They're having a nice time in bed while I waded through the blood of the RRA._ Part of me snarled in contempt, though I quickly squashed the thought.

_Chichi would never do that. There must be something else, at play._

That's when the earth began to shake.

**oooo**

**Ping!**

**Oooo**

"**Quest: Survive the monster's rampage" has been forcibly initiated.**

**Reward: 60,000 XP, ?, ?, ?**

**Failure: Death of everyone in a two hundred mile radius.**

**oooo**

"The monster…?" I read the quest title just as one of the domed buildings burst outwards, shrapnel filling the sky.

Its source, a giant ape.

And it was still growing.

_Fuck._

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	31. Chapter 30

**oooo**

**Chapter 30**

**oooo**

**Age 749, Sunday, September 10 (Night), Pilaf Castle**

I liked to think I was a level-headed guy.

Even when I'd gone through some pretty bad situations in the past, I'd managed to keep things together even when I wasn't using **[Gamer's Mind]**.

So, when I say that I damn near shit myself when I saw that gigantic ape throw half a building at me, you can trust that I'm being absolutely serious.

As it turns out, my fear induced dodge had been the best move I could have made under the circumstances— and I most definitely did _not_ scream, thank you very much!

I heard the large chunk of the building crash noisily against the dirt, but luckily no sound of mangled metal.

I didn't have time to throw a glance at the plane I'd used to fly over here, but I hoped that Krad was still alive, in there.

I'd given the guy a second chance, so I wanted him to at least have the opportunity to _use it_.

Whether good, or bad— I shook the thoughts off and made even more distance between myself and the plane.

There were certainly _bigger_ things to worry about, now.

_It's the largest creature I've ever seen!_

And that's when I saw the name floating above the creature's head.

**Son Goku - Lv 25**

"What the hell." I mouthed and, without hesitation, invoked **[Insight]** on the great beast, eyes widening at the stats I read out.

**oooo**

**Monkey King  
Son Goku - Lv 25**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 750,000 ****[Blood Rage]  
****Ki: 600,000**

**Rep: ?**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He has transformed into the Great Ape, a monster he'd only heard of in his late grandfather's warnings, but never actually seen before.**

**Battle Power: 1100**

**oooo**

"..._This_ is Son Goku?" I read the stat sheet out once again, a shiver of fear coursing through my body.

This thing— no. _Son Goku_; he was more powerful than anything I'd ever encountered.

"Is this what _Saiyans_ are capable of?" I asked myself.

The creature postured and roared as it began to exit the castle grounds proper, tearing through the walls like they were made of paper mache.

Son Goku, monster, whatever this was—

_I won't let you kill anything._

**-2,100 Ki!**

"**Ha!"** The power erupted from my hands and impacted against the creature's face. I knew the damage would be negligible, but it served to direct its attention to me.

And it looked _furious_.

It opened its mouth and _roared_, the sound wave sending me tumbling across the dirt floor.

I hadn't been ready— _Just from the sound of its voice!? This is ridiculous!_

The Great Ape leapt high into the air, its form getting larger and larger as it got closer to me; it was planning on crushing me underfoot.

I snarled and leapt away, the anger overpowering my fear of such a tremendously sized animal.

As I landed, I felt the ground shake with the giant monkey's impact against the ground, its roar filling the air once again.

_Even a face shot barely did anything to phase it._ I narrowed my eyes at the behemoth. Maybe I could knock it out with one good hit to the back of the neck?

_I would have to use all the power at my disposal_, I realized.

I latched onto that idea as I dashed to the right, narrowly avoiding one of its gigantic legs. It continued to stomp after me, hoping one of its feet would finally get rid of the pest.

_I'm not so easy to get rid of, you overgrown chimpanzee!_ I thought viciously as I blasted it in the face with another **[Ki Ball]**.

**-300 Ki!**

Again, the power harmlessly exploded against its face, serving only to anger it even further— just what I was hoping for.

_Come on, big fella. Follow the leader!_

The first step of the plan was to lure it away from this castle and its occupants— it seemed like it was working, so far.

The agility point increase had really come in handy. I smiled despite the situation even as I felt the ground behind me shake with the furious monkey's vicious stomps.

_Any single one of these hits would crush me in a second._ The smile fell off my face with that particular realization. _This thing has enough power inside it to actually make the quest penalty happen!_

I imagined, for a second, what would've happened if it had appeared in the middle of a city, an involuntary shiver going through me at the very thought.

I'd seen a few giant monster movies in my time, so I knew an inkling of what would happen— but those had been just that: movies.

_This one is real, and it's extremely powerful!_

It stopped chasing, forcing me to stop and stare back at it, ready to dodge whatever it had in store for me at any moment.

I leapt to the side even as I felt its energy shift and concentrate itself inside it.

It happened in an instant— If I had one less point in agility, or if I tried to dodge upwards, I doubted I would have survived that.

One moment, the great beast opened its mouth, and then in the next, the world was filled with yellow.

Then, the explosion came, heady and powerful, filling the air around me with dust and debris.

It pelted me relentlessly, each hit as strong as one of the Red Ribbon Army soldiers' bullets.

**-300 HP!  
-400 HP!  
-600 HP!  
-200 HP!  
-150 HP!  
-500 HP!  
-1,000 HP!**

_**[Mana Shield].**_ I activated the skill with a thought, but I'd already received some damage even as my body was covered with a light, blue glow.

**-45 MP!  
-500 MP!  
-750 MP!  
-600 MP!  
-1,000 MP!  
-400 MP!  
-200 MP!  
-100 MP!**

I watched as the numbers continued to decrease— the momentum created by the explosion fading as the concussive energy slowly waned into nothingness.

Just the aftershocks and debris from its attack was enough to reduce my HP by 3,000, and my MP by around 3,600!

_If I'd taken that blast head on…_

Wasting no time, I reached out with my power once more and connected it with the great ape, invoking **[Insight]** as I did so.

**oooo**

**Monkey King  
Son Goku - Lv 25**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 741,560/750,000 ****[Blood Rage]  
****Ki: 400,000/600,000**

**Rep: ?**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He has transformed into the Great Ape, a monster he'd only heard of in his late grandfather's warnings, but never actually seen before.**

**He is searching for you, but the dust is blinding his vision.**

**Battle Power: 1100**

**oooo**

Two hundred thousand!

The amount of Ki that was used— it would have killed me five times over, judging by my HP level. Even if I'd fully used my own energies, it would still have been enough to destroy me.

This settled it.

I had to hide and strike its neck at the most opportune moment. Using the smoke as cover, I slipped into **[Sneak]** and began to look for a rock to hide behind.

I stealthily stole along the dark cover of dust, hearing the monkey scream, posture and roar in triumph at its overwhelming victory.

_A prideful creature. Perhaps it retains some of the user's personality in transformation. _I thought slowly. _Or maybe its base monkey instincts instill a form of pride within it…_

There was no real way to tell, and it likely didn't even matter what it was feeling.

As long as it was distracted, I could figure out my next move.

"Distraction." My mouth moved as I frowned.

I had access to **[Dazzle]**, but would that skill even work on something under **[Blood Rage]**? Worse, could it backfire and send it into an even worse rampage than before?

While I was certain the spell would serve to distract the behemoth well enough, I didn't exactly have a fine control of it.

Furthermore, unlike the Lump Mage I'd fought some time ago, I didn't have the level of control needed to conceal myself from its sight with the spell.

_Still,_ I thought. _Having intangible creatures leap at it from all directions could distract it well enough for myself to land a critical strike._

"Or it could turn this entire area into a smoldering wreck." The words came to me before the thought even registered.

_Damn it._

The more time I wasted floundering, the less of a chance I would have to take Son Goku down.

I shook my head; I didn't have any other ideas, so I would go with the one I had.

**-800 MP!**

"**[Dazzle]!" **I drew in my will and launched the spell at the humongous monkey, already beginning my rush.

I spared the creature a glance as I circled around it to find the opportune moment to strike. The spell took effect, and the Great Ape wildly thrashed in response, fighting creatures only it could see.

I scowled and adjusted my trajectory. It was turning too fast for me to be able to angle my leap well.

_Hard way it is, then._ I thought in dismay, running directly towards the behemoth. It raised both arms to the sky and brought them down, likely thinking it was finishing off an opponent it had at its mercy.

Its unforgiving fists met the earth, sending shockwaves of pressure all around, as well as causing another gigantic cloud of dust to erupt, fully obscuring its form.

I raised a hand above my face and ran into the outwardly blowing dust, quite easily finding its body— one of the tricks I learned with **[Insight]** was linking my power with someone else's, allowing me to keep track of their location through the link.

I bent down, knees coiling with power.

**-500 Ki!**

I let loose, cracks sounding out in the dirt beneath my feet— not that I was looking, what with my face covered by my hand— as I launched myself upwards, doing my best to not let the dust get in my eyes.

I cleared the cloud easily. Wiping at my face quickly, I took stock of my position and tried to adjust my fall to put me behind its head.

_So slow._ I thought to myself. I could run much faster than I could fall. _I hope I make it in time._

The wait was agonizing. Any moment, the creature could notice I was there, but it seemed **[Sneak] **was pulling its weight!

I preemptively began to charge my Ki.

I would only have one chance at this, after all— there!

**-51,101 Ki!**

"**HA!**" I roared and poured in almost every sliver of Ki I had in me.

The resulting ball was as brilliant and likely just as deadly as the Great Ape's attack.

_With this…_ I continued to fall even as the ball exploded marvelously against the back of the Great Ape's neck, my world awash in blue light. _That should be enough to knock it out._

I felt the concussive force of the explosion slam into me, sending me hurtling back towards the ruined castle.

This would have likely hurt me really badly, but I'd learned my lesson from Blue.

**-300 Ki!**

"**Ha!" **The ball appeared in my hand, and I waited a few moments before throwing it ahead of me, waiting for just the right moment.

**-200 Ki!**

And, with that, I forced the ball to explode, its own blast wave massively reducing my momentum, easily allowing me to drop straight down to the ground.

I landed with a thud, breathing with the exertion.

**[Ki Concussion]**, a skill I hadn't used in months, as the damage from **[Ki Ball]** outshone everything it was capable of— except in situations like this.

_Not to sound arrogant, but that was bad-ass!_ I felt a grin snake its way over my face at the impossible maneuver I'd just managed. If only the past-me could see me now...

Quickly, I turned my attention to the great, lumbering beast.

It had fallen flat on its face and was no longer moving.

Did it work?

I moved to make sure.

"Ten!" I heard a familiar cry from my left and stopped.

Surprise overcoming my caution, I was almost bowled over by Chichi, who had rushed towards me, a familiar group right on her heels.

"You're okay!" Chichi sounded a mix of worried and relieved as she spoke. "I feared the worst."

I snorted and gave her back a few pats. "It was tough, but I managed to get the Dragonballs."

_Tough doesn't even begin to cover it. I'd almost died several times— once by my own hand, even._ I thought to myself.

I wisely didn't mention that, though. Chichi didn't need to know how truly close that fight had been.

A few hundred points' worth of damage and it would've been game over.

"That's great!" The blue haired girl said, though she quickly clamped her mouth shut when my eyes made contact with hers.

The pig man stayed at the sidelines, not even looking in my direction.

It was probably for the best.

"That attack you just used." The bandit, Yamcha, said in awe. "Was that the Muten Roshi's Kamehameha?"

_A fan of Roshi's, huh._

I stared at him for a moment.

On the grander scale of things, these people seemed much less threatening than they did a day ago. All with their faults, of course— with the worst of them being Yamcha.

I opened my mouth to reply with something acerbic, but I stopped myself at the surge of energy which assaulted my perceptions.

"No way…" I said in surprise and alarm.

"What is it?" Chichi asked.

"It's getting up." I said grimly, the monster stirring and very slowly getting up, obviously dazed.

"You mean Goku took that attack head-on and survived?!" Yamcha said in shock and dismay.

_As if something like that would've been enough to end him._

"I was hoping to knock him out." I admitted. "A blast to the neck, it took everything I had."

_Now, what?_

My eyes moved in a quick saccade as I tried to think of a way for us to survive this.

"Maybe we should run." Bulma offered up.

I shook my head. "He'll rampage for a radius of around two hundred miles, killing everything and everyone he finds."

"Well, it's a lucky thing we're in a desert, then!" Bulma fired back, irritation showing through her previously hesitant and fearful demeanor. "No one here but the people in the castle."

"So, what— just let them _die_?" I shot back, ready to blow up at the annoying girl.

"They were going to kill us." Chichi cut in, her calm voice bringing the conversation back to normal levels.

I swiveled to her, a look of shock on my face.

"This isn't exactly the time!" Yamcha cut in before I could question them on the matter, his floating blue cat right next to him. "I know how we can stop him."

"How?" I tore my eyes away from the guilty looking Chichi and focused them on the bandit. "He's incredibly powerful."

"His tail." Yamcha said quickly, eyes flitting to the monster ahead of us. "If we grab his tail, we can stop him. It's his weakness."

I absorbed the information, latching onto it for dear life. "All right. I'll continue to distract it. Chichi, you and the bandit here go for the tail."

"My name is _Yamcha_." The man protested at the same time Chichi said: "All right."

"The rest of you, find some place to hide." I continued as if I had heard no protests. "This may get ugly."

_Ugly would be an understatement,_ I thought to myself. My Ki pool depleted, my HP and MP lowered as well… I brought my **[Status Sheet] **up and invoked **[Insight] **on the great beast**.**

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 33 (26,700/34,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 12,911 ; [37,285/40,435]  
MP: 13,597 ; [39,914/44,309]  
Ki: 17,402 ; [1/54,500]**

**STR: 129 ; [255.42]  
VIT: 126 ; [249.48]  
AGI: 187 ; [370.26]  
INT: 115 ; [166.75]  
WIS: 115 ; [166.75]**

**Points: 0**

**Battle Power: 147, [291]**

**oooo**

**Monkey King  
Son Goku - Lv 25**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 497,874/750,000 ****[Blood Rage][Dazed][Weakened]  
****Ki: 230,000/600,000**

**Rep: ?**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He has transformed into the Great Ape, a monster he'd only heard of in his late grandfather's warnings, but never actually seen before.**

**He is currently dazed, and in great pain.**

**Battle Power: 850**

**oooo**

The monster that was Son Goku roared, an ocean of rage and pain carrying out into the open air.

_It looks like I've done more damage than I'd thought. _I thought. "Go, now! We won't get a better chance."

I pulled the Wizard Staff from my **[Inventory] **and hefted it, closing my eyes and focusing my will for a long moment.

_I may no longer have much Ki to draw on, but this should suffice as a tool for distraction._

As the others took the long way around, I moved to a higher spot near me and channeled my magical energy through the staff, making it flare a bright red, catching the giant's attention.

It glared down at me, its fury several levels higher than before.

_Does it recognize me?_ I thought, a chill going through my spine as it tried to rush me.

I abandoned my attempts to charge up a spell and moved away from it.

This time, I was able to avoid its strike with greater ease. Perhaps it was for the better.

This way, it would only focus its vengeful and clumsy intent on me alone.

The extra movements it made while trying to maintain its tracking of me made it stagger with dizziness.

Perfect.

Immediately, I held the staff aloft and began to charge my magic up, the staff glowing red once again.

Taking a deep breath, I cast the spell with a cry of "**[Frizz]!**"

**-12,500 MP!**

The large, crimson ball blasted out of the end of the Wizard Staff and flew towards the Great Ape's chest.

Surprisingly, the mondo monkey actually tried to dodge— but it seemed as if it were truly as weakened and dazed as its stat sheet implied.

I spied the duo slowly approaching from behind even as the ball of flame impacted against Goku.

The great beast cried out in pain and stumbled a few feet back, its hair singed and the skin beneath burnt by the potent magic.

My eyes narrowed at the astounding damage.

I had discounted **[Frizz]** as a spell to be used in combat due to the time required for me to launch it as well as needing to wield the staff to even pull it off, but its damage potential truly was incredible.

I rather doubted Blue would have given me the opportunity to land an attack of this magnitude on him in the middle of us fighting, though.

_You could have attacked them preemptively._ Part of me thought.

_Focus_. I said to myself and began to charge up another spell— but as the beast began to roar once again, it stopped in its tracks, its body and facial features going slack with weakness.

"Now!" I heard Chichi cry from behind it. "I don't know how long I can hold it!"

"Puar!"

"Yes, sir!" There was a large puff of smoke, and the sound of snipping. I saw its tail crash into the ground.

Almost immediately, the great beast began to shrink at a ridiculous rate, finally becoming the boy I was more familiar with.

He fell over without fanfare, Chichi, Yamcha and the blue cat— Puar— quickly hovering over the poor boy.

I put the Wizard Staff back into my **[Inventory]** and made my way to them.

Once there, I linked my power with Goku, kneeling beside himand invoking **[Insight] **while I checked him over for injuries**.**

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 25**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 3,500/27,000 ****[Physical Exhaustion][Burned][Concussed]  
****Ki: 2,000/33,000**

**Rep: 2,000/10,000 Liked**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku is accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently unconscious.**

**Battle Power: 12**

**oooo**

His burn looked fairly severe— I suppressed a wince of sympathy even as I received a few pings signifying the completion of the quest, as well as a few skill level-ups I'd gained.

A quick check to his tail showed that he wasn't bleeding. At least there was that.

"How is he?" Chichi asked worriedly.

"We have to get him some first aid." I said after a moment. "What happened? How did he turn into that?"

"He looked at the moon." Yamcha said, and began to explain what had happened to land them in their situation.

As he explained, my anger rose.

"This… Pilaf." I snarled and forced myself to stop; instead, I pulled a pair of boxers and pants out of my **[Inventory]** and put them on the unconscious boy beneath me. "He put you in a room with steel walls and a clear ceiling, and planned on cooking you alive with the sun."

Chichi nodded grimly. "We tried to break through, but my enhancement techniques could only go so far."

"I couldn't even _put a scratch_ on the metal." Yamcha bit off a curse. "At least you managed to dent it. Goku, too."

"They're still in the castle?" I asked, pulling out plenty of water and food from the **[Inventory]** and handing it to them.

"They flew away while you were busy fighting Goku." Bulma's voice came from the right. "Tried to take the Dragonballs, too! We managed to stop them from doing that, at least."

"What do you mean, _we?_" The irritated voice of the pig-man came from her side. "Don't take credit for my work."

My eyes focused on the girl. "Forget the Dragonballs for now. You have an international phone, right?"

"Um." She was taken off guard by the question. Likely, she had expected me to try and bargain with her for the orange balls, but that was the least of my concerns, as it was. "Yes, but it's probably somewhere in the castle. Might have been crushed."

I took a look at the ruined castle in question and tried not to swear.

"You guys stay with Goku." I ordered, already making my way for the castle proper. "I'm going to look for a phone."

"What about the Dragon—"

"Forget about the Dragonballs for now!" I fixed her with an angry look, and Bulma quickly paled and shut her mouth.

I shook the thoughts off and ran towards the castle, with Chichi following.

"Ten! Wait!"

I stopped, and turned to look at her. She pointed towards the central structure with the big antenna. "Go look over there. I have a feeling that's where all of our confiscated stuff was. I'll catch up."

I gave her a nod of gratitude, and silently dashed towards the main edifice in search of the phone in question, making my way through broken and ruined halls, searching room by room, a feeling of unease slowly settling upon me.

I did find a phone— completely by accident, really— and called our home's number.

"Ten." The voice from the other end of the line— my mother's— sounded pained.

_I was too late._

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	32. Chapter 31

**oooo  
Chapter 31  
oooo**

**Age 749, Monday, September 11 (Very Early Morning), Pilaf Castle**

"Mom?" Hearing her pained voice, I feared the worst. "Are you safe? Did someone—"

"Ten! Finally! We're safe, we're—" She stopped for a moment before raising her voice. "Ren, it's Ten! He's on the phone."

I felt myself relax ever so slightly.

_They are fine._

_But if they're fine, why does she sound like… like the time after dad disappeared?_

"Ten…" She spoke. "I was so worried about you—"

"_We_ were." Another voice joined in, my father's. "Son. I'm glad you're safe. The things they said..."

_They?_

"...They came for you, didn't they? Red Ribbon." I immediately asked, pushing away my worry and trying to focus on the issue at hand. "Where are—"

"Calm _down_, son." Ren said calmly. "Dyran and I managed to stop them from harming myself and your mother. But…"

There was a sinking feeling in my stomach.

_Perhaps I should pay a visit to South City… I believe you have family there? A mother. Perhaps some friends at school. _Blue's words came to haunt me immediately.

Even in death, General Blue seemingly had power over me.

"Pencil and Rula." I realized.

I heard mom beginning to sob on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of rustling. I felt my throat constrict.

"Worse." My father sounded tired. "Them and Kai's dojo. And another dojo up in Central."

_What!?_

"What do you mean—" I absorbed the man's words and felt my breath quickening in response. "All of them?"

Master Kai, Rula, Pencil, Master Palm and Mark were dead?

Mom let out another sob.

"Son, give me a moment, all right?" Was all he said before I heard a small thud— he'd likely placed the phone on the table.

"Come on, sweetie." I could barely hear my dad say. "You need your rest."

"No!" She said, sounding almost angry, but too tired to give it proper muster. "Not until I'm sure Ten is safe."

A rush of affection swept through me, momentarily banishing the negative thoughts away.

"Don't worry, mom." I replied, trying to keep my voice strong and unwavering. I wondered if she heard me. "You know me, nothing can keep me down."

"You heard the man." Ren announced. "Come, you've been up for over thirty hours, Jean. I'll talk to him."

Jean made some protests, but even from my end of the line, I could tell that her heart wasn't even in it anymore.

_She never could handle this kind of stress that well._ I felt bad for her. My mother was strong willed, but she always took this sort of news hard.

That's not to say that I didn't, of course. When I'd first heard of my dad's disappearance, I'd completely lost sight of everything. Nothing seemed to matter for quite a long time.

I hadn't recovered as much as I'd hoped, I realized; at least, not until I received this power.

_Nevermind. I am just as bad at this as mom_— _maybe even worse._ I thought as I waited for Ren to come back, keeping my thoughts off of the news he'd shared with me in some futile attempt to avoid dealing with it.

Yet, with every step I heard him take on his way back, I felt my resolve weaken.

"Hopefully she gets some rest, this time." I heard him mutter before he grabbed the phone. "Still there?"

"Yeah." I replied, trying to force the weakness away. "What happened?"

There was a moment of silence. "I don't have all the answers, but I'll share what I know."

That was all I could ask for.

"The Red Ribbon attacked Kai's dojo. Your friends were there." He revealed.

I placed my hand against the wall to keep me steady. "What were Rula and Pencil even _doing_ there?"

"Your friend said they were interested in learning it for self-defense." My father replied with a sigh.

A moment, and then—

"Wait, they _told_ you?" I latched onto that. "Does that mean—"

"Calm _down_, son." Was the stern reply. "I'm getting to that."

"Sorry." I let out a sigh of my own. "It's been a very long day."

"I can imagine. If we've had to deal with this, then what you must have encountered was probably even worse." Ren said, his tone neither accusing nor disapproving. Only worried.

I didn't reply.

"Kai did everything he could to keep the kids safe." My father continued. "He fought long and hard, and put most of the attackers out of commission with the help of the older, more experienced students."

"..." I didn't answer, having a general feel for where this was going.

"But there's only so much basic martial arts can do against a trained squadron of soldiers with firearms." Ren sighed. "Kai's... dead, and so are many of the students. Those that survived… One of the kids' arms was blown off. Rula is in the hospital, in severe, but stable condition. Pencil survived the attack itself, but didn't make it to the hospital."

Pencil was dead.

_Damn it. When Rula wakes up… _I stopped that line of thought immediately.

I forced my breathing to calm itself even as my body tensed up to uncomfortable levels. "And Central?"

"Right." Ren took a breath. "They blew the Central Games arena to smithereens, and launched an attack on a dojo near it—"

"Palm Karate Dojo." I finished. "_Fuck._"

How could it all have gone so wrong?

_You should've expected this, you fool. _Part of me snarled. _You let yourself grow complacent, disabling the most powerful tool in our arsenal on the advice of an old hag._

_It made me stronger, didn't it?_ I argued back. _I would have never been able to beat Son Goku in his Great Ape form if I didn't have the power boost from my improved meditation, as well as the old woman's magic training._

"—Ten, are you listening?" My dad's voice finally broke through my musings.

"Sorry." I replied reflexively without meaning it. "This is a lot to take in."

"I can imagine." Ren sympathized.

"How can you?" I blew up, anger filling my body. "I failed! I was supposed to stop the bad guys, but I wasn't capable of doing even that!"

"Son…" My father tried to say, but I ignored him.

"What's the point of it all!?" I snarled at the phone, only very faintly realizing the tears falling down my cheeks. "Palm, Mark, Kai, Pencil are dead! Rula, probably soon, too! How long until you and mom…"

"That will _never_ happen." Ren promised. "Between myself and Dyran, we'll never let it happen. Plus, your mom's no slouch herself, kid."

I didn't answer.

"And, I _have_ failed, son." He said, the words shocking me. "I didn't save the world from destruction. I'd only delayed it. _Without you_, none of us would even be here."

I still didn't answer, understanding his logic but not willing to admit he was right— so full of grief and self-loathing, I was.

"Son?" My dad tried again.

"I…" I swallowed. "I have to make this right."

_Yes. This is my fault, and I have to make amends._ I opened up my **[Inventory]** and stared at the orange, crystal balls so innocently displayed.

Such small baubles, and yet, the power they wielded was unfathomable. Granting a single, perfect wish— I could probably ask the Eternal Dragon to do this for me.

Doubt niggled at the back of my consciousness. _What if it doesn't work?_

"What are you…" I heard his voice from the other end of the line.

I took a breath. I had to try. With the Dragonballs, I could bring them all back.

"It may not be necessary, but… If you have to, preserve the dead as best you can, dad." I said quietly. "Don't bury any of them. Don't even let anyone mess with the bodies."

It would likely have sucked if the funeral guys were stitching the kids just as they were resurrected, after all. It would be best to have no one touch them.

"What?" My dad blurted out.

"Just do this for me, will you, dad?" I got a little forceful. "I can fix this. I can make it right, I promise."

"Son…" My dad hesitated, before nodding. "Just hurry, then. I don't know how long I can keep the kids' parents from burying their kids— or if I can stop them, at all."

"Use force if you have to." I said. "The parents will understand when all is said and done."

_I hope the Dragon can actually grant my wish. If he can't..._

"..." Ren didn't say anything for a moment. "All right."

I nodded and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Thanks, dad." I said, slightly relieved that at least one hurdle was dealt with. "I'll be back home as soon as I'm done."

"... I'll hold you to that, kid." And with that, my father ended the call. I stared at the phone, took a deep breath, and placed it in my **[Inventory]**.

I pulled up the quest I'd unlocked when I was in Central City.

**oooo**

**Twenty Questions— Well, More Like One**

**You learned what the Dragonballs are capable of accomplishing when you gather all seven. Yet, in your infinite wisdom, you've decided you want to gather these magic wish-granting balls to ask the Eternal Dragon a question, rather than wishing for, say… a billion Zeni.**

**oooo**

_I'm going to lose out on the chance of getting answers from the Dragon. _I thought, before ultimately shrugging. _What's one year compared to the lives of my friends and all the innocents that the Red Ribbon have killed in their rampage?_

That much, at least, was true. I could find the Dragonballs at any time, so long as I waited a year for them to _recharge_— whatever that process entailed, I wasn't sure, but I had neither the patience nor the time to look into the specifics of it.

I heard the sound of shifting feet.

"Chichi." I guessed, remembering her saying that she was right behind me. "How much did you hear?"

"Not much." Chichi spoke. "Enough to know that something bad happened."

_Looks like my guess was right._

She stood next to me, trying to meet my eyes. I averted my gaze and turned away.

"Master Kai and many of his students are dead. Master Palm is dead. Mark is dead. One of my school friends, Pencil, is dead— another friend, Rula, still in the hospital." I listed off the casualties, feeling a dullness pervade my body.

I swayed in place, but Chichi moved closer, keeping me upright. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close to her. "I'm sorry."

I scrunched my eyes shut for a long moment, merely allowing Chichi to give me comfort which I desperately needed at that moment.

"It's all right." Her words were soothing. "You don't have to be strong around me."

"I'm going to end them— the Red Ribbon." The words came out on their own. _"Kill them all!"_

"I know you don't mean that, Ten." Chichi said, still calm, though I detected a slight tremor in her words. Whether it was from concern or fear, I couldn't tell.

"Don't I!?" I struggled a bit in her grip, but she held fast.

"You don't just kill people like that." Chichi forced me to meet her gaze— a desperation set in her eyes. "I know you."

I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped myself.

_Breathe. Focus._

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I was so lost and confused.

_Not a few hours ago, I spared Krad's life despite him being part of the Red Ribbon Army._ I felt myself and Chichi slowly lowering ourselves to the ground, sitting with our backs against the wall.

She wasn't letting go.

_Was it the right move to even do that? To spare the man?_ I questioned. Part of me wanted to go back to that plane and finish the job.

However, was that my true self talking, or was my judgment so clouded with pain and grief that I couldn't see beyond my own self?

_Why do you even keep yourself to this ridiculously high standard, anyway?_ The sly voice asked. _Just flip the switch on our greatest weapon and don't worry about it. Our feelings are our greatest enemy. Just look at how we're acting in response to a simple phone call._

I gave a mental scowl. _Nothing simple about it. Stop getting in my way._

The voice didn't answer.

Chichi was right. Killing people wasn't something I set out to do. I'd done my best to avoid it, even going so far as to dress myself up as a member of the Red Ribbon to infiltrate them, rather than rushing in to kill anyone I saw.

I hadn't _wanted_ to kill more people, but I'd ended up doing just that.

I sighed, pushing my face into the girl's shoulder, her scent calming my heart significantly.

"Talk to me." She almost pleaded, and I felt that same heart twist.

"I can bring them back." I said slowly.

There was a moment of silence.

"... The Dragonballs." Chichi realized.

"Yes." I nodded into her shoulder, the dam breaking. "But what's to stop the Red Ribbon from killing them all over again? I have to stop them, and I've no idea how to do it, aside from dealing a blow so hard that they'll disband entirely, and I don't know how to do _that_ without killing them."

Chichi didn't answer.

"I'm sorry." I shook my head, wondering if I should have kept my mouth shut.

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Ten." Chichi's voice was soft as she ran her fingers through my hair. "I'm just trying to wrap my head around it all."

_You're telling me._

"Maybe if you simply take out their leaders, you can stop the army?" She suggested hesitantly.

I opened my mouth to reply, but closed it as I considered the possible consequences of such an action. _Could it work?_

"They'd be like headless chickens, at that point." Chichi insisted. "Leaderless, fighting amongst each other."

The idea certainly had merit, but it still involved killing people— something I was trying to avoid.

"Maybe I could kidnap the leaders." I said slowly, grasping at straws.

_Pathetic, after days of wading waist deep in the blood of your enemies, you're suddenly squeamish?_ The sly voice was back again.

I wanted to snarl at it, to rage, to say anything but, mocking tone aside, it was right.

"Or kill them if you have to." Chichi was the one who'd suggested it this time.

"I…" _I don't want to._ "I want to avoid that."

"I know. I want you to avoid it, too." Chichi said, pulling me back from her in order to meet my gaze. I opened my eyes and saw her conflicted look. "Sometimes, life just doesn't give us that choice."

Almost unbidden, I replied.

"There is nothing impure when defending your own life." The words came to me, spoken to me months before. "Master Roshi told me that, once."

"He's right." Chichi immediately agreed.

"But…" I stopped. "Is it really defending my own life if I'm seeking them out?"

"Ever the devil's advocate, aren't you?" Chichi shook her head, her tone fond. "Yes, you're right. But, you said it yourself: after you bring your friends back, what's to stop the Red Ribbon from doing it again?"

"Do I have the right to be the judge, jury and executioner?" I answered her question with one of my own.

There, Chichi stilled.

"Entire nations were unable to stop the Red Ribbon Army from committing atrocities worldwide." Chichi's voice took on a bit of a dark tone. "The judge and jury part has been taken care of. It's just that there's no one to _execute_ said judgment."

I made to answer, only to remember all of King Furry's— as well as King Chappa and a few others— speeches and statements concerning the Red Ribbon and the fight to end their spread all over the world.

"You're right about that." I admitted, a mixture of both resignation and resolve making itself known to me.

The Red Ribbon Army were the boogeymen, their story told alongside the scary stories of King Piccolo and a few others. Cautionary tales told to children to avoid making the wrong decisions in life.

That was probably the only thing people could do to resist them, considering they couldn't destroy them, root and stem.

I put some distance away between myself and the girl and stared down at my open palm. I'd been able to turn buildings into rubble with my Ki. I'd been able to take on a monster which was arguably almost four times stronger than myself, in terms of Battle Power.

"I have the power to stop them." I said.

_But, should I? When did I become the arbiter? Six months ago, I was nothing. Just a nobody._

"For what it's worth." Chichi said, catching my eye. "I think stopping them is the right decision, no matter what. You've already taken a similar burden on your shoulder before, haven't you?"

Demon world. Genus. The invasion.

I searched her eyes for the longest moment, before finally nodding. Chichi was right. Though I basically had no choice but to deal with the situation, I _did_ stop Genus and his cohorts from invading the Earth.

_This is just more of the same, except the demons are hiding behind human flesh._

My mind made up, I spoke. "All right. I'll do it."

Chichi beamed and crashed her lips against mine, making me forget about the universe for the next few moments.

When our lips parted, she glared. "You're taking me with you."

It wasn't a question.

"I suppose I am." I agreed, extricating myself from her grasp and getting us both up to our feet. "For now, there's a wish I need to make."

**Boom!**

A loud explosion rocked the ground.

"Wh—" "What the—" Chichi and I exclaimed at the same time.

"Let's go." I said grimly and began to make my way outside to where the sound was, Chichi right behind me.

"What happened?" Chichi asked.

"I don't know." I replied as we reached the outside, only to see the downed forms of our reluctant allies.

"Shit." I swore as Chichi rushed to their position.

Immediately, I reached out with what little power I'd regenerated from the fight against Goku's ape form, linking it with theirs and invoking **[Insight]** while also searching for any unfamiliar ones.

Reading through their sheets, I sighed in relief. "They'll live. Burns, head wounds, but they're in no danger of death."

"Who did this to them? Help me with this." Chichi began to pull Bulma behind part of a wall which had remained standing. This position was as defended as it could possibly get within this ruin.

I followed suit, pulling Goku and Yamcha simultaneously, placing them none-too-gently next to the blue haired girl. When I was done, Chichi had already brought the rest over— Puar and Oolong, the pervert of a pig.

I scowled at his form but said nothing else. While annoying and perverted he may have been, I didn't want him killed.

"Whatever did this…" I stopped for a moment to extend my range further. "It might be outside of my range to detect."

"Long range weapons?" Chichi asked quickly, her eyes darkening in the light of the nearby flames. "Red Ribbon."

"It could be." I said. "What about those three you dealt with?"

"Pilaf?" Chichi looked around, pointing at the ruined satellite dish. "It's possible. He's rich and has many assorted gadgets."

Even as she said this, I felt something approaching from straight ahead. "Company. Nine o'clock."

"What do we do?" Chichi asked quickly.

"They don't seem to be heading straight for us." I kept my breathing steady even as I tracked the oncoming signatures.

"Bombed the place and are here to sweep out whoever's remaining?" Chichi quietly suggested as we moved to hide behind a rather large section of wall.

"Probably right." I nodded to her. "I'm not sure if we should hide or not."

"Why not?"

"The rest got hit from a good distance." I argued. "They may have heat detection equipment."

"If that's the case, then they'd all be dead— the same goes for us." Chichi countered with. I mulled the words over as quickly as I could and found that I agreed.

However competent Yamcha was, he wouldn't have been able to save everyone from an explosion like that— especially when tired and caught unawares. Even _I_ wouldn't have been able to react quickly enough to that.

I pulled my **[Status Sheet]** up and stared at the numbers.

_Back to full health, a bit more than half of my magic, and less than a fifth of my Ki. It's not anywhere near ideal, but it's certainly a lot better than what I had at my disposal ten minutes ago._ I tensed up as the signatures reached us, accompanied by the sound of multiple rockets firing.

I sneaked a peek and saw them. Three blue-gray, rotund robots each with a gun arm, a grapple arm and four legs thudded into the ground nearby, making it shake with the weight of the metal.

_The signatures are inside the machines._ I realized and immediately invoked **[Insight].**

**oooo**

**Ninja Lackey  
Shu - Lv 18**

**Race - Dog-type Human  
Age - 28**

**HP: 5,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Having been woken up from his slumber by the great ape creature, Shu has had to keep his master safe from harm, while also ensuring that he managed to swipe the Dragonballs from the fools who dared trespass on their territory.**

**He plans on finishing the job.**

**Battle Power: 56**

**oooo**

**Agent Mai  
Mai - Lv 15**

**Race - Human  
Age - 23**

**HP: 3,200**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Having been woken up from her slumber by the great ape creature, Mai has had to keep her master safe from harm, while also ensuring that she managed to swipe the Dragonballs from the fools who dared trespass on their territory.**

**She plans on finishing the job.**

**Battle Power: 35**

**oooo**

**Great One  
Pilaf - Lv 5**

**Race - Monster-type Human  
Age - 34**

**HP: 1,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Greatly Disliked**

**Description: Having been on the cusp of victory, Pilaf found his own castle being demolished by the vile creature. Having had to boldly and bravely retreat— for Pilaf does **_**not**_** run— Emperor Pilaf ordered his two lackeys to get the Pilaf Machines and come back to reclaim what is theirs: the Dragonballs.**

**He doesn't plan on taking prisoners, this time.**

**Battle Power: 3**

**oooo**

The battle power numbers were meaningless, I realized. _They're in machines, but they look more like sloppy prototypes rather than finished products. Else, he would've kept them in the castle proper._

"What do you see?" Chichi whispered softly as the sound of hydraulics being used assaulted our ears.

"It's the three you told me about." I said just as quietly. "They're inside the robots. Not remote controlled."

Chichi nodded. "Can we take them?"

"Maybe." I looked down for a moment, trying to give her a solid answer. "If they had scanners, they would've found us by now— whether by heat detection or a Dragon Radar."

The both of us chanced another peek. Two of the robots were sifting through the rubble while the third stood behind them, doing nothing.

My eyes narrowed as I analyzed the machinery from the outside. Jet-plane metal— Pilaf hadn't even bothered repainting it. While strong enough to easily endure the rigors of flight, I could easily break it.

And Chichi could, as well. If she could dent the reinforced wall of the room she'd been in, this metal would not fare well at all.

"Get the middle one while I distract the other two." I said.

"The gun arm first." Chichi added, eyes glinting with anticipation.

"You know me too well." A short smile crossed my face, quickly replaced by a frown of concentration. "Go!"

We both launched ourselves at the same time, catching the attention of the group.

Chichi's target tried to turn towards us, but the machine's tiny legs were too slow to turn in time to react.

I heard the sound of mangled metal and a cry of victory from Chichi, even as I barreled into— and then tore _through_— one of the robots' arms, my fingers aglow with ethereal blue light— **[Tiger Claw]** activated.

**-350 MP!**

It was the technique I created to show respect for the Tiger Style which Kai had taught me. I felt the resolve well up within me.

_I'll make it right._

"What the f—" I barely heard as I landed, pivoted to the right and tore through two of the machine's legs, as well as the other arm before launching myself to the final target.

**-45 MP!**

My **[Mana Shield]** burst forth as the second machine's operator, Mai, leveled the gun arm at me and opened fire.

**-200 MP!  
-300 MP!  
-250 MP!  
-150 MP!  
-200 MP!  
-300 MP!  
-300 MP!**

I drove the magically enhanced claws into the barrel of the gun arm and watched it explode with a wince.

-**600 MP!**

The wince came more from instinct rather than actual pain; I pulled my arm out just in time to catch the second strike, my strength easily able to win out against whatever hydraulic power this machine was provided with.

_These things must have been prototypes_, I thought as I took a step forward and drove my claws into the joint between the robot's shoulder and its grapple arm, pulling wires out without a care.

With a weak whirr, the entire machine died down.

_Not just a prototype, but a shoddily designed one, at that._ I tossed the wires to the side and drove my fingers into the hatch's outline, ripping the door open with a bit of effort.

Only to stare down at the barrel of a sniper rifle. The woman behind it, tall with black hair and angry blue eyes, smirked as she pulled the trigger.

An explosion, a flash, and a strong impact sent me tumbling back into the dirt outside.

**-1,000 MP!**

I recovered quickly and rushed her again.

In panic, the woman fired the sniper before she was even able to aim. The shot went wide, allowing me to snatch the weapon from her hands, throwing it away and leaving me staring at the woman who'd just tried to kill me.

She recoiled as I reached for her, her eyes widening with fear. I was about to say something when I felt a series of impacts against my back.

**-30 MP!  
-40 MP!  
-35 MP!  
-50 MP!  
-100 MP!**

They were like pokes, but the sound of metal hitting the ground told me exactly what I needed to know. Wasting no time, I lightly punched Mai in the chin and rushed the interloper behind me, not even bothering to watch her lose consciousness.

The fool before me, a dog-type human clad in a ninja outfit, pulled out his sword and met my charge with his own.

_A brave effort._

Had I tangled with this fellow three months ago, he might have been able to pose a real challenge.

As it was…

I sidestepped the diagonal slash, snatched his sword with one hand, while the other balled into a fist and laid him out cold on the unforgiving dirt.

I invoked **[Insight]** on the two just to make sure they were unconscious before moving to help Chichi with her opponent— only to find her sat atop a broken and mangled mess, an immobile, obviously unconscious, Pilaf by the wreckage.

_We took them out in less than twenty seconds._

"What took you so long?" She even had the temerity to ask before she promptly burst out laughing.

"Give me a break." I wanted to be annoyed, but ended up laughing as well, the blue glow around me fading alongside my claws.

Her cheer was infectious— and we could both tell that I needed it badly, right now.

"Let's tie them up, and see if we can wake the rest up." Chichi hopped off the pile of metal, a roll of cordage already in her hands.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked as I dragged the unconscious interlopers over to us and watched her get to work.

In response, Chichi lifted her wrist band, revealing a strange black bracelet underneath. "You never know when you're stuck out in the wilderness and need some paracord, Ten. This thing's got thirty feet of cord."

I snorted. "I suppose, what with where you live…"

"Exactly. Things like this come in handy; plus, opening and closing capsules would take too long when I can just wear it on my wrist." Was the last thing she said before putting her full focus on tying our attackers up.

_Plus, a weird looking bracelet is less likely to be stolen than capsules._ I mentally added. I'd have gone to look for the rest of the Dragonballs, but I wanted this to go as smoothly as possible.

It wouldn't do for one of them to wake up while Chichi was busy and I wasn't there to help her subdue them.

_The same applies for the Capsule Corp Heiress' group_. I thought. _They'd fight me for the wish. I have to take the balls and get as far away as I can._

"I'm finished." Chichi said a minute later, getting back to her feet and dusting her clothes off.

"Nicely done." Those knots were indeed impressive— as good as the ones I'd seen from survival documentaries.

"I'm pretty good at this kind of thing." Chichi smiled and moved to stand by my side. "What now?"

"Now, we get the Dragonballs." I pulled the Dragon Radar out of my **[Inventory]** and checked its readout. "Don't wake them up."

"What?" Chichi asked, before closing her mouth as she considered my statement. "Nevermind. I get it."

"They'll be fine." I said. "Just unconscious, is all. You can check them just to make sure."

Despite my assurances, Chichi did just that.

I didn't blame her. Their status sheet listing them as unconscious didn't necessarily mean that they were fine.

For example, if they were unconscious on top of having suffered a head injury, they could have been 'unconscious' for a very, very long time.

Still, Chichi had them covered, and now it was time to do my part.

So, I looked for the remaining Dragonballs.

Fortunately, the explosion hadn't moved them very far. I found one near the Red Ribbon jet-plane I'd used to get here— it hadn't moved an inch.

_Krad must still be unconscious in there._ I thought. _Either that, or he abandoned the vehicle itself._

My eyes lingered over the plane for another second before I went back to regroup with Chichi. Judging from her relaxed state, I figured that they weren't in any immediate danger.

"I'm not a doctor, but I didn't find any head injuries. Mostly just cuts and scrapes. Bulma's the worst off." She said, though she frowned. "Yamcha's beginning to wake up, though. So is the pig-man, Oolong."

"It can't be helped." I said in annoyance. "Watch them, will you? Don't let any of them get to me. I can't mess this wish up."

Chichi looked like she wanted to argue, but the look on my face took the wind right out of her sails. "All right, Ten. But you owe me."

"Thanks, Chichi." I gave her a quick hug before pulling away and rushing off to the other side of the castle, and then into the surrounding desert.

I continued to run away from the group for ten minutes at top speed and then another five, just to be sure.

Considering that both Goku and Yamcha were weakened, and the fact that Bulma didn't have the Radar on her, I highly doubted any of them could find me, let alone get here in time to stop me from calling the Eternal Dragon forth.

What had taken me fifteen minutes would likely have taken _them_ an hour, or more. I'd bought myself enough time.

I opened up my **[Inventory]**, staring at the seven wish-granting balls inside. This was it. I moved to pull them out, before stopping in thought.

The wish; I needed to word the wish correctly.

I sat on the dry, desert floor as the sky slowly began to lighten, signifying the inevitable approach of sunrise.

"Can't ask it to simply revive the ones that died." I said slowly, the words spoken out loud helping me focus my nervous thoughts. "Any mistake and I might screw this up, big time. If I only revive the dead, the people who lost limbs or are still in severe condition won't be healed. Maybe switch revival with undoing? Could work… Unsure."

I got back up and began to run at a sedate pace.

No sense in giving Bulma's group any chance of catching up to me while I brainstormed— even if there was no way in hell they could find me in the first place.

A few minutes of running later, and I had the wording of the wish figured out. Nodding to myself, I stopped in place, pulled the Dragonballs out of the **[Inventory]** and set them down in the dirt before me.

I hesitated for a moment, watching as the orange crystal balls glowed with a powerful, yellow light.

_This is it._

I raised my hands, feeling the balls' magical energies respond to my intent and boiling with intensity to match my anticipation. "Arise, almighty Shenron, and grant me my wish!"

I felt the magic in the words even as I spoke them and watched as the light within the Dragonballs intensified, electricity writhing and coiling between the orange wish-granting orbs.

Idly, I noticed that the previously lightening sky had turned completely dark once again.

The power continued to build until I was sure the crystal balls themselves would explode with the pressure they were under.

Just then, the energy converged into the center, before shooting up into the air, twisting and writhing with sheer force and majesty, completely overwhelming my senses.

The light eventually faded, revealing the previously hidden silhouette beneath.

"So this is the Eternal Dragon: Shenron." I said in awe as I stared at its majestic form. I didn't even consider the idea of invoking **[Insight]** on this being, lest I offend it in some way.

I had to make do with simply observing it with my eyes.

It was a long, serpentine creature, with two arms and two legs that honestly looked like they didn't belong, I thought as I watched the creature swirl and spin in the air as easily as fish took to water.

It had no wings; such was its magical power that it could simply carry its entire body through the power of its magic alone— and do it with _contemptuous ease,_ at that.

Finally, it turned to face me, its glowing red eyes glaring down at me.

"**COME, TELL ME YOUR WISH.**" The great and all-powerful beast spoke, its voice a deep boom that was more akin to a natural disaster than the voice of an animal. **"I SHALL GRANT ANY ONE WISH YOU HAVE."**

I frowned in concentration and took a step forward, staring up at the Eternal Dragon.

"I wish for all of the damage done by the Red Ribbon Army to be undone. What I mean by 'damage undone' is this: the Red Ribbon's murder victims revived, the ones that survived with horrible injuries restored to how they were physically before the Red Ribbon affected them." I said as clearly as I could.

The Dragon seemed to take a moment to absorb my statement, the glow in its eyes intensifying.

"**YOUR WISH CANNOT BE GRANTED."** It spoke.

"Why!?" I shouted up at the creature. "You said you could grant any wish!"

"**EVEN ONE SUCH AS I." **It said slowly, its green beard-like hair rustling with ethereal grace. **"ARE BOUND BY LIMITATIONS."**

I frowned, feeling worse than I'd ever felt before. Was this it? Had I truly failed in my endeavor?

"What was wrong with my wish?" I asked, hoping beyond hope that I could fix this.

"**MANY OF THE VICTIMS YOU SPEAK OF WERE KILLED MORE THAN ONE YEAR AGO."** The Dragon explained. "**I CANNOT REVIVE ANYONE AFTER ONE YEAR."**

"I see. But aside from that, you can do it?" I felt hope build within me once again. "Including, y'know, taking people out of their coffins so they don't die as soon as they're revived?"

"**THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING." **Shenron's eyes glowed once again. **"THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME."**

"Thank you, erm... Shenron? Eternal Dragon?" I fumbled over the being's name or title. The Dragon did even not bother replying.

_Perhaps it was just that occupied with the wish._ I thought, wondering if I should risk asking it about my quest to stop the destruction of the universe.

I hesitated. No, it was a bad idea. Saying anything now might cause the beast to decide to deny my wish outright. The Legends had always spoken of the Eternal Dragon in reverent tones.

Pissing it off while it was granting a wish would be a bad idea. I'd wait until it was done before giving it a shot.

The glow of its blood red eyes faded slightly as it began to speak. **"THE MAN KNOWN AS PALM HAS REFUSED TO BE REVIVED, BUT THE REST HAVE BEEN RESTORED TO THEIR LIFE AND PREVIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS."**

"Refused!?" I blurted out, momentarily forgetting about my question.

"**INDEED." **Shenron explained, but did not divulge the reasons behind such a decision. Most likely, he didn't know. And neither would I.

"**YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED."** The Eternal Dragon boomed as it prepared to leave. "**FARE**—"

"Wait!" Still feeling flat footed from the Dragon's previous information, I tried to get its attention anyway. "Do you know anything about my quest to stop the destruction of the universe!? Why am I **The Gamer**?"

The great beast ignored me, continuing its ascent into the sky until I said those final two words. It stopped, turned its gaze down at me.

"**I ONLY GRANT ONE WISH, HUMAN."** The Eternal Dragon replied, a hint of anger entering its tone of voice. **"THOUGH, MY CREATOR HAS HEARD YOUR WORDS, AND BIDS YOU TO SEEK HIM OUT, FAR ABOVE KORIN'S TOWER."**

Korin's Tower? I opened my mouth to reply, only to be silenced by the sight of the Dragonballs flying up into the sky.

"**FAREWELL."**

With one final flash of light, the Dragon disappeared and the Dragonballs exploded with power, flying off in seven directions.

I quietly watched the sky lose its darkness, replaced with the light coming off of the half-way risen sun.

I didn't have long to ponder the Dragon's words when the ping came:

**oooo**

**Quest Updated!  
Twenty Questions— Well, More Like One**

**You learned what the Dragonballs are capable of accomplishing when you gather all seven, and you've asked the Dragon about your powers.**

**In his wisdom, he bade you to seek out his creator, far above Korin's Tower.**

**oooo**

"The Dragon's _creator_…?" I read through the quest again.

Someone _created_ that powerful being, and they wanted to meet with me. I began to laugh, the sheer stress of everything finally making me descend into hysterics.

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


	33. Chapter 32

Got a new cover for my book! It looks so awesome.

Anyhoo, welcome to another chapter of **The Z Gamer!**

**oooo  
Chapter 32  
oooo**

**Age 749, Monday, September 11 (Late Afternoon), Road to Fry Pan Mountain**

**Twenty Questions— Well, More Like One**

**You learned what the Dragonballs are capable of accomplishing when you gather all seven, and you've asked the Dragon about your powers.**

**In his wisdom, he bade you to seek out his creator, far above Korin's Tower.**

**oooo**

I read through the quest information for the tenth time before turning my gaze to the moving world outside the window.

"What's this?"

"Don't touch that, Goku!" Bulma's voice came from the back of the van we all occupied. "Just sit still while I work on your injuries!"

"But it's boring!" Came the expected whine.

"I swear, if you don't stay still right now…" I tuned her threat out and gazed out of the window once more, a thousand and one thoughts crossing my mind.

I tried to get a handle on recent events— any of it— but it was like trying to grasp water. I got my hands wet, but not much else.

I just wasn't ready to deal with all that had happened, just yet.

_A nice, long bath, followed by a scrumptious dinner and some bed rest. That's what I need, right now._ I thought, a table full of my favorite foods spreading in my mind's eye.

I swallowed, my throat feeling dry in the wake of such thoughts.

I let out an explosive breath before just pulling up my notifications.

Stat increases from the many battles I'd participated in, skill level increases, and quest rewards— I went through each and every one slowly, reading through the admittedly thorough lists.

One of the drawbacks of this system was that it was just too tedious to navigate in.

All in all, I'd netted myself quite a bit of progress in all ways.

**oooo**

**Name: Ten  
Occupation: The Gamer  
Level: 37 (34,700/38,000 XP)**

**Race: Human  
Age: 14**

**HP: 14,436 ; [44,620]  
MP: 15,092 ; [46,826]  
Ki: 19,336 ; [60,140]**

**STR: 135 ; [270]  
VIT: 130 ; [260]  
AGI: 192 ; [384]  
INT: 118 ; [171]  
WIS: 120 ; [174]**

**Points: 20**

**Battle Power: 152, [323]**

**oooo**

I was getting much stronger, much more quickly.

I remembered back when raising my stats hadn't yielded much progress. Of course, I'd still blazed past everyone around me, but it was magic at play.

I was given this power, and a quest to stop the destruction of the universe, itself. Why _wouldn't_ I have had the capability of surpassing the human limitation?

My eyes lingered over my **[Status Sheet]**'s race information.

_Am I really still a human being? That floating box says I am, but can a human truly reach such heights? Roshi was quite powerful, but the man is hundreds of years old! I've done this in __**months.**_

Just underneath my skin, I could feel my power roiling, waiting to be unleashed. It sang with the promise of battle and death. It enjoyed the euphoric thrill of the fight.

And, to be honest, so did I.

To stand against my opponent, take all he had and remain standing— there was a strange, primal appeal to such a thing, despite how idiotic it may have seemed.

I'd taken on a veritable army of hardasses, each having had enough training to defeat me as I had been only a few months ago.

The Red Ribbon had specifically enhanced their soldiers using data of my fight against Blue in the Central Games. The not-so-dearly departed General, himself, had confirmed as much.

And yet…

They stood no chance against my raised strength— and I'd _already _improved since then. My Battle Power had been something around 240 when I'd fought and killed General Blue.

Now, it was over 320. Just what did it mean? I checked the menu once again.

**oooo**

**Battle Power: an aggregate of all your physical stats combined into a single numerical form.**

**oooo**

_So, STR, VIT and AGI._

Numerically speaking, I was about a third stronger than I had been, before. No, not stronger; more physically capable? That seemed like a better way to put it.

Just what did it truly mean in terms of physical limits?

I'd been able to take a tank shell head on and survive. I'd annihilated an entire army. I honestly had no idea how fast I could run, now.

When I'd set off from Chichi's village, I'd somewhat known my own limitations, but now it felt like my body had ascended to ridiculous heights.

_Am I even human anymore?_ The thought came again.

There was no answer.

I huffed and moved the offending blue screen away.

"Are you all right?" Came the voice beside me. I turned to look at the bandit— Yamcha, I corrected myself.

His eyes had been shadowed with the weight of his apparent mortality, and his own **[Status Sheet]** had changed to reflect it.

**oooo**

**Desert Bandit  
Yamcha - Lv 20**

**Race - Human  
Age - 16**

**HP: 10,500/14,000  
Ki: 4,000/8,000**

**Rep: 0/10,000 Neutral**

**Description: Hailing from a village just north of the Diablo Desert, Yamcha dropped out of school and made his home in the desert instead, focusing his all on martial arts.**

**Having had a close brush with death as well as incredible fighters such as Goku, Chichi and the seemingly invincible Ten, he is now re-examining his priorities and finding them wanting.**

**Battle Power: 90**

**Oooo**

_An improvement, if only just._

I shook my head. "It's nothing, bandit."

"The name's _Yamcha._" The man sounded exasperated at my insistence.

It still didn't mean I suddenly became friends with the man.

I wasn't going to give every person a second chance, like I had with Krad. They needed to earn it.

I gave an uncaring shrug. "You rob people and leave them out to die in the _desert. _I'm not using your name."

The bandit bristled in the driver's seat. "I _do not_ leave them to die. What do you take me for?"

"A bandit." I said automatically.

"I don't _kill_ people." He repeated, getting angry. "I've made sure they were safe. All right?"

I looked at him for a moment, judging the weight of his words. "All right. Yamcha, then."

_Still a thief, but at least not the vile murderer I took him for, I suppose._

"Thank you." He relaxed.

"I feel like I've been running a marathon." Bulma complained. I spied her rubbing her arms in the rearview mirror.

Chichi sat beside her, looking outside the window in boredom. She seemed a little tired, but was hiding it well enough. She caught my eye and smiled.

I smiled back.

"Turn the radio on, will you?" Bulma asked again. I watched Yamcha do his best impression of a drunken monkey before flipping a switch.

"You just turned off the air conditioning." I snorted.

"O-oh." Yamcha laughed and flipped another switch. The windshield wipers whirred alive, noisily rubbing against the glass.

I cringed and flipped the switches back to normal, before turning on the radio. Yamcha really was clumsy whenever Bulma said something— _maybe he likes her?_

"Hmm..." I said, listening to the music for a bit— a slow, sleepy tune— before turning the knob and changing channels.

"—live now at the fiery fest—" Switch. "Buy one, get one half off! Call now and—" Switch. "It's the eye of the Lion! It's the—"

"_—Hell_ no." I huffed and switched to another channel. This one had decent enough music, I decided.

I stared back out of the window, the melodies drowning my thoughts. It honestly felt blissful— for about ten minutes.

The music cut off with a sudden burst of static, replaced with a long, steady beep.

"What the hell?" Yamcha said in confusion and changed the channel. The same beep again.

He switched again and again, but kept getting the same result.

"Did we lose the signal?" Oolong piped up from the back. "There's no way my M-capsule van can be defective. I only recently got it— was saving it for a special occasion."

"If we'd lost the signal, we'd only be getting static." Bulma disagreed. "We're getting a signal on all of the available channels."

"A government broadcast?" Chichi asked in realization as the beeping ceased, replaced by the sound of an announcer.

"This is the world government, broadcasting in all known channels all over the world." The man said. "We interrupt your regular programming as something absolutely miraculous has occurred. There has been a massive influx of people previously considered to be deceased turning up all over the world."

I turned my head and exchanged a look with Chichi as the announcer continued.

"We believe that an unknown organization has struck a hard blow to the Red Ribbon Army, releasing their prisoners in the process." He explained slowly. "I repeat, many of the victims of the Red Ribbon have come forth in search of their families! Please begin heading to your local municipalities and governments, if you've lost someone to the Red Ribbon. We will be listing their names and providing them with their necessities until their next of kin are contacted."

He took a breath and repeated his statement again.

"We would like this independent organization to know." The announcer added, his tone all but projecting a sort of restrained gratitude. "How very grateful we _all_ are— whoever you are, please know that you are all _**heroes**_, and we, as the world government, plan to raise a large force to finally put an end to the Red Ribbon threat. We will _not_ _let _your efforts go to waste."

I felt a part of me tighten in a response to the feelings welling from within me.

Should I not have been feeling happy about this? Should I have been sad?

Had I just initiated the first steps to a global war?

"This is the world government, broadcasting in all known channels—" I switched the radio off, not wishing to hear any more of it.

"So that's what you used the wish for, huh?" Yamcha sent me a contemplative look, before focusing back on the road with a frown. "I can't say I would have been so selfless."

_A wish requested to bring back my friends, selfless?_ Came the immediate thought, though I did not give it life outside of my mind.

"Not bad." Bulma said a little grudgingly.

"You've done it, Ten! All those people— you've given them a second chance." Chichi cheered. "And, with the entire world banding together, the Red Ribbon will be dealt with in no time!"

I felt my heart lighten with the girl's words. I wiped at my moist eyes, not wanting to descend into hysterics again. "Thank you, all."

"There's going to be so much fighting— I can't wait!" Son Goku exclaimed, jostling in his seat in excitement.

"I told you to stay still, you lunkhead!" Bulma raged at the obstreperous boy.

Chichi barked out in sudden laughter, which quickly turned infectious.

Soon, we were all laughing.

Just like that, I felt all of my worries slip away into nothing.

Maybe I could pretend, at least for a while, that the universe wasn't in danger of total destruction.

**oooo**

By the time we'd made it back to Fry Pan Mountain, we'd returned to cheers and parades.

_They've heard the broadcast. Of course they have. It's been playing for hours._

"Wow, look at all these people!" Goku said excitedly. "I've never seen so many in one place."

"That's barely anyone, Goku." Bulma commented beside him. "Cities have way more people in them."

"Wow! Really?" Goku got even more excited.

"You really are a total bumpkin, aren't you." Bulma deadpanned. "Staying up all alone in that mountain."

We fell into silence for a while, the sound of the cheering crowd more than making up for it.

"Come to think of it, your last name is familiar to me, Goku." Chichi said slowly, brows furrowed in thought. "You wouldn't happen to know a man by the name of Son Gohan, would you?"

Goku piped up. "You know my grandpa?"

"Your grandpa was famous, Goku. I told you." Yamcha threw in, looking exasperated at the boy. "A pupil of the legendary Muten Roshi, and just as strong! A martial arts master superior to almost all others."

"Goku, you _have_ to meet my father." Chichi cut in, with an insistent tone. "He and your grandfather were both fellow disciples."

"Really?" Goku got excited. "Was he as strong as Grandpa?"

"I think so." Chichi replied, looking thoughtful. "He doesn't really talk so often about Mr. Gohan, so I don't know for sure."

"There he is, right now." I pointed ahead as we reached the town's square, where the Ox-King, in full barbarian regalia, awaited us with a massive grin.

"So that's the Ox-King…" Yamcha said slowly as he parked the van and slowly opened the door.

The volume of the cheers increased, making me wince. "They're pretty cheerful."

_Noisy._

"_I wonder why." _Came Chichi's sarcastic answer, along with a snort.

We filed out of the van, and were met with the old crone who'd all but told the entire town that Chichi and I were 'consorts'.

It had barely been a few days since I'd last seen the woman, but it felt like it had been weeks.

_So much has happened since then. _I thought. _The Dragonballs stolen. Fighting against the Red Ribbon. Fighting against Blue. Fighting against the massive monkey. Fighting against that Pilaf fellow. Summoning the Dragon and making the wish._

Had it really only been a few days?

"Princess." The old lady bowed. "Mr. Ten."

I nodded to her, feeling awkward at the lady's deferential treatment. I was no King, nor some high ranking noble.

The old lady turned to the rest of our group. "Come. We have prepared a celebratory feast in honor of your deeds today."

"A feast?" Yamcha grinned.

"What's a feast?" Goku asked. As expected, Bulma sighed beside the boy.

"It's just a lot of food, Goku."

"Oh, awesome!" The boy tried to jump, but ended up falling on his face. "Ugh, I keep falling down…"

_Losing his tail was bound to mess with his balance, though…_

**oooo**

**Monkey Boy  
Son Goku - Lv 25**

**Race - Saiyan  
Age - 12**

**HP: 27,500 [Recovering]  
Ki: 33,500  
Rep: 0/10,000 Well Liked**

**Description: Hailing from Mt Paozu, Goku was accompanying Bulma on her quest to gather up the Dragonballs in the hopes of finding someone strong to fight against.**

**He is currently very hungry.**

**Battle Power: 125**

**oooo**

_He only seems to have gotten stronger from all of the fighting. _I finished as the old lady led us towards the Ox-King, standing near the head of the massive table— so big that it could fit over a hundred people with ease.

"I see that you have made it back in one piece!" The Ox-King boomed as he loomed over us all.

_He really is freakishly tall. _I threw Chichi a considering look. _I wonder if she'll grow up to be as tall as him._

"Um…" Bulma said nervously. "Hello."

"Are you the Ox-King!?" Goku exclaimed, getting up and pushing both Bulma and Oolong out of his way.

"Watch it, monkey-boy!" "Hey!" Came the two cries of dismay, but Goku hadn't even registered their words.

_This kid really does have a one track mind. _I smiled at the boy's pure hearted determination. _I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing._

"Ho?" The Ox-King took a step forward, bending his head down so he could get a better look at the boy. "You're a scrawny one, boy, but I can see the fire in your eyes. Yes, I am the Ox-King."

Goku grinned. "I'm Goku! I heard you're very strong, like my Grandpa was! Will you fight me?"

"Your grandpa, you say?" The Ox-King scratched his chin, his arm alone dwarfing Goku in size. "Who is…"

It was then that he noticed the staff slung over the boy's back. "That is… the extending power pole, Nyoi-Bo! So, you're Gohan's grandson?"

"You sure know a lot, old man!" Goku pulled the pole out of its sheath and set it vertically next to him. "Grandpa left it to me."

"_Left_ it..?" The Ox-King immediately picked up on that, his massive grin fading away. "I take it my old friend is no longer with us?"

"He died a long time ago." Goku replied. He was about to say more when his stomach growled.

At that, the Ox-King boomed with laughter again. "Meeting my friend's grandson— that's a cause for celebration! How about we postpone the fight, for now, and have a large feast instead?"

"Yes!" Goku immediately agreed.

"You heard the boy, everyone!" The Ox-King addressed the massive crowd around us. "Let's begin the feast!"

Cheers and applause drowned everything else out as everyone took seats at the table.

"Come, Ten." The Ox-King said, gesturing to the head of the table. "Your seat awaits."

"You can't be serious." I gave the older man a confused look.

"I am.

"It's only natural." Chichi joined the conversation as Goku and the rest joined the table and began to stuff their faces— literally in Goku's case.

"How much food can you eat, kid!?" "Gross!" "I think I'm going to be sick."

"This is great food!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full!"

"This feast is to celebrate your victory and actions." Chichi continued, throwing a disapproving look towards the wild haired boy.

"I insist, lad." The Ox-King gave me an ominous look.

I sighed. "Very well. Sit next to me?"

"Of course." Chichi smiled and gave me a quick hug before heading towards the head of the table.

I followed, noting that everyone had stopped eating, and were instead staring at me.

_Eerie._

"Let us all raise a glass." The Ox-King, seated right next to the head of the table, raised his gigantic mug in the air. "To Ten of South City! He saved my Kingdom, and then went on to battle the Red Ribbon Army! There is no greater honor than fighting for those who cannot defend themselves. To Ten!"

I fought the urge to hide from the massive crowd as they raised their own glasses. Fighting rabid animals, demons, martial artists and enemy soldiers— this is what I could do.

But social gatherings? I gave what I hoped was a friendly smile to everyone, knowing that it likely looked horrifying.

_Likely some kind of death rictus._ The thought only made me seize up more tightly.

"To Ten!" The people cheered, either not noticing, or not caring about my reaction.

"Relax." Chichi laughed at my expression as the crowd cheered my name twice more before returning to their meals with gusto. "They won't bite."

"You sure about that?" I laughed, feeling my nervousness spike.

She took my hand in her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yes."

I turned to look at her, feeling myself slowly relax again.

"Just focus on me." Chichi smiled. "They'll eventually lose track of themselves as they drink more and more."

"Thanks, Chichi."

"Don't mention it."

I turned my attention to the food— an assortment of meat, vegetables and bread laid out in front of me— and began to eat.

One bite, two bites, and I was off, devouring the food with a ravenous hunger which surprised even myself. Had I been that hungry?

"Slow down. You're going to make yourself sick!" Chichi said, though she frowned as she stared at her own half-devoured meal. "Nevermind."

I snorted and went back to the food.

The Ox-King looked like he wanted to ask Chichi and I some questions, but was obviously waiting for us to get some food in our stomachs. _Gracious of him._

It was another five minutes before the massive man spoke again. "So, I'm guessing you have a story to tell?"

Chichi and I stopped eating and exchanged a look. "You can say that, sir. It's rather long, though."

"By all means." The Ox-King laughed and took a bite out of a large animal leg— dinosaur meat? "We've got time."

And so, I told him everything. I talked about Bulma's group. I talked vaguely about engaging the Red Ribbon in combat. I talked about fighting off Pilaf, leaving out the fact that Goku had transformed into a monstrous creature.

I didn't think the boy should have had to deal with the repercussions of actions that were completely out of his control. The Ox-King, bless him, could be a flighty man at times.

"So, the Master at Central City has chosen to remain among the dead?" The Ox-King stopped eating and dipped his head in respect.

"Yes." I said, feeling Chichi's hand squeeze my shoulder in a gesture of consolation. "I gather he wished to be with his loved ones— he was a bit old."

Here, the Ox-King gave a short laugh. "Of course! I can understand the man's choice."

His smile wavered, and he took a swig from his massive mug. "I am sure my lovely wife is watching over us, as well."

I turned to Chichi, who looked a little morose at the mention of her deceased mother. I returned her gesture of consolation and gave her a smile.

"Thanks, Ten." Chichi said.

I gave her a nod in response, before continuing my tale.

"That's what the Dragon said?" The Ox-King asked, leaning back in his seat and scratching his beard. "To seek out his creator?"

"Yes." I confirmed. "Far above somewhere called 'Korin's Tower'."

"Korin's Tower, you say?" Ox-King repeated the two words, his mouth twisting in what I knew to be an expression of recognition.

"You know of this place?" I leaned forward, food forgotten for now. "Where is it?"

The great big lunk set his food down, dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and said. "I have no idea."

_Damn it._

"Damn it." I said out loud. "How am I supposed to find this place?"

"Maybe the old Fortune-teller knows?" Chichi suggested.

"The Master will know!" Ox-King cut in. "Yes, I remember now. Korin's Tower, the Master's final test. I've never done it myself, but I am sure Muten Roshi has!"

I nodded eagerly, lapping up the intriguing information like a heavenly drop of water in the scorching desert. "I'll go ask him."

Chichi sent me a pointed look.

"_After_ we rest for a while." I snorted at her expression. "I've been meaning to see the old timer, anyway."

"It's settled, then." The Ox-King said. "You will stay here for some time. It wouldn't do for you to leave us so quickly!"

There was a moment of silence as Chichi and I exchanged looks.

"Um, dad…" Chichi got up from her seat and moved towards her father. "Give us a moment, Ten?"

"Sure." I took my cue to back away from _that_ particular conversation.

"You want to— _what_?" Was the last thing I heard the Ox-King say before I made my way towards Bulma and her group. They, with the exception of Goku, had stopped eating a while back, and were busy relaxing.

"If it isn't the hero who defeated the Red Ribbon!" Oolong the pig hiccuped and took another swig of his drink.

"Ten." Yamcha nodded towards me. I returned it, almost somberly.

"What do you want?" Bulma asked, still as unpleasant as ever.

_There's no way._

"Are you still mad at me that I used the wish?" I asked, feeling both appalled and amazed at the same time.

"No." The blue-haired girl shook her head quickly. "How could _anyone _be mad about that? What do you take me for!?"

_That_ took the wind right out of my sails. "Oh."

"What I _am_ mad about is that you never returned my _phone and radar!_" She seethed, sending me a glare. "Give them back!"

"Oh." I felt a little sheepish— and honestly, embarrassed.

_Here I was calling Yamcha a bandit, a thief, and I've been behaving no better than he was._ I thought, feeling the guilt rise within me.

"Slipped my mind." I scratched the back of my neck for a moment before pulling the aforementioned items from the **[Inventory] **and handing them to her. "Sorry. I needed to call my parents, and I ended up losing track of things for a while afterwards."

Bulma stared at the two gadgets in her hands, her look much less scathing than it had been a moment ago. "Thanks, I guess."

I smiled slightly. "That radar, though, was something else. Or should I call it a sensor?"

Bulma's head snapped toward me so fast I was sure she would get whiplash. "You know about that?"

"It was a bit challenging to figure out, I'll admit." I said, taking the empty seat next to the girl. "I'm still only a beginner at tech, but I'm eventually hoping to be able to build my own machines. I reckoned that, having owned a Dragonball, you must have done a lot of tests on it, to figure out what element… I don't want to say 'reacts'… Resonates with it?"

"That's right!" Bulma said, before throwing me headfirst into the technical specs of her 'radar'. "You see, the first thing I figured out was…"

I made an honest attempt to keep up with all of the concepts she was presenting, hoping my beginner knowledge of that sort of tech would help me out.

I failed miserably.

_I've still got a long way to go._

Maybe I wasn't as beyond humanity as I thought I'd been.

**ooooooo**

**Link to my book: mybook,to/TheDregOfBellmead (Replace comma with period)**

**OR look up "The Dreg of Bellmead" on Amazon/Kindle.**

**Link to my discord: discord,gg/Pq5J8dX (Replace comma with period)**

**Come and hang out, we like to meme and talk about shows/movies/fanfics/games! Always nice to make new friends.**


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